Thimphu, 22 March

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he was grateful to the Bhutanese people for according to him a "memorable welcome" to their beautiful country and hoped that India-Bhutan friendship "keep scaling new heights".

His comments came hours after he arrived in the Himalayan nation on a two-day State visit. His visit seeks to further cement India's unique and enduring relations with Bhutan as part of the country's 'Neighbourhood First' Policy.

Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome upon his arrival at the Paro International Airport earlier in the day. He was warmly received by Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay, at Paro airport. "Thank you for the warm welcome to Bhutan, PM @tsheringtobgay. May India-Bhutan friendship keep scaling new heights," the Prime Minister said on 'X'.

Modi received a warm welcome, with the Bhutanese people lining the entire 45-kilometre route from Paro International Airport to Thimphu which was also decked up with Indian and Bhutanese flags.

Later in the day, a group of Bhutanese youngsters dressed in traditional Indian attire performed on a Garba song written by Prime Minister Modi to welcome him to their country. Modi watched them perform with rapt attention and applauded at the end of the performance. "I am grateful to the people of Bhutan, especially the young children, for the memorable welcome to their beautiful country," Modi wrote in another post on 'X' and also shared pictures of him interacting with a cross-section of people of Bhutan.

The visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between India and Bhutan and the Government’s emphasis on its Neighbourhood First Policy, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

The Bhutanese prime minister wrote on 'X' in Hindi: "Bhutan mein aapka swagat hai mere bade bhai @narendramodi Ji (Welcome to Bhutan my big brother)"