Modi gifts a football to Bhutan Prince

New Delhi Nov 1 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted a football to Bhutanese Prince Jigme Namgyal Wangchuk when the Himalayan kingdom s royal family called on him at his official residence here on Wednesday evening.

"Had a wonderful meeting with the King Queen and Prince of Bhutan " Modi tweeted along with a picture of the Prince who will turn two in February next year.

"Presented the Prince of Bhutan an official football from the FIFA U-17 World Cup and a chess set " he said. In the first-ever event of the world football federation held here India hosted the FIFA U-17 World Cup this year.

Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck along with Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuk and the Prince arrived here on Tuesday on a four-day goodwill visit to India.

The Bhutanese royal family s visit assumes significance in the wake of an over two-month standoff standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doklam region of Bhutan.

While India and Bhutan said that Beijing s move violated the status quo in the India-Bhutan-China international trijunction China claimed that it was their territory.

President Ram Nath Kovind appreciated the Bhutanese King s role in resolving the Doklam issue during a meeting earlier on Wednesday.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also called on the royal family here.

There are a number of institutional mechanisms between India and Bhutan in areas such as security border management trade transit economic hydro-power development cooperation and water resources while India is Bhutan s largest trading partner.

--IANS
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