What happened (India–Bhutan meeting on trans-border rivers in New Delhi)

A high-level bilateral meeting on Co-operation on Trans-border Rivers was held on 2026-08-08 in New Delhi. The Royal Government of Bhutan delegation was led by Lyonpo Gem Tshering, Minister for Energy & Natural Resources. The Government of India delegation was led by Shri C R Paatil, Union Minister of Jal Shakti.

The Ministers reviewed and discussed areas of cooperation in the water resources sector, with a focus on trans-border river management and flood-related preparedness. The meeting also included a project-specific review of Bhutan’s hydropower implementation in partnership with India.

Key areas reviewed during the bilateral meeting

During the bilateral meeting, India and Bhutan reviewed ongoing cooperation in the following areas:

Trans-border river management (how both sides handle shared river flows for planning and operations). Flood forecasting and flood management (forecasting flood risk and managing impacts). Hydrological data sharing (sharing water and related measurements across borders). Other areas of mutual interest in the water resources sector.