India, Bhutan reaffirm commitment to further strengthen customs cooperation

New Delhi, April 21 India and Bhutan, in a high-level meeting of customs officials, reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthening customs cooperation, promoting seamless cross‑border trade and ensuring secure and efficient border management under the Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit, it was announced on Tuesday.

The seventh Joint Group of Customs meeting between India and Bhutan discussed coordinated border management and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on pre‑arrival exchange of customs data.

Further, officials deliberated on strengthening anti‑smuggling mechanisms through intelligence sharing and enforcement cooperation, digitization of customs processes and facilitation of transit cargo under the Electronic Cargo Tracking System.

The meeting also discussed and reviewed issues like improvement of border infrastructure, enhancing trade facilitation and harmonization and streamlining of customs procedures.

The Bhutanese delegation visited Kochi Port, where officials provided an overview of import and export procedures, including vessel berthing and container handling operations using gantry cranes, according to an official statement.

Bhutanese delegates were briefed about maritime enforcement practices, including sea patrolling, identification of suspicious vessels, rummaging operations, communication systems used during patrols, such as satellite phones and the Automatic Identification System (AIS) and methods for identification of suspicious cargo and the procedures for its examination.

As part of the institutional framework for bilateral engagement, the JGC meetings serve as an important platform for addressing issues related to customs cooperation, trade facilitation, and border management, the statement noted.

The trade through land customs stations holds particular importance for Bhutan -- a landlocked country. Currently, there are 10 notified land customs stations along the India–Bhutan border, six in West Bengal and four in Assam.

India is Bhutan’s largest trading partner, accounting for nearly 80 per cent of Bhutan’s total trade. The bilateral trade exceeded $1.9 billion in FY25, registering growth of over 46 per cent compared to the previous financial year.

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