Munnar (Kerala), April 21: The 7th Joint Group of Customs (JGC) meeting between India and Bhutan was successfully held on April 20–21 in Munnar, reinforcing bilateral efforts to enhance trade facilitation and border cooperation. The meeting was co-chaired by Yogendra Garg, Special Secretary and Member (Customs), Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, and Sonam Jamtsho, Director General of the Department of Revenue and Customs under Bhutan’s Ministry of Finance.
India continues to be Bhutan’s largest trading partner, accounting for nearly 80 percent of its total trade. Bilateral trade between the two nations crossed $1.9 billion in the financial year 2024–25, marking a robust growth of over 46 percent compared to the previous year—reflecting deepening economic ties.
The JGC serves as a key institutional mechanism for addressing issues related to customs cooperation, trade facilitation, and border management. Given Bhutan’s landlocked status, trade through land customs stations remains critical. At present, 10 such stations operate along the India–Bhutan border, primarily located in West Bengal and Assam.
During the discussions, both sides focused on several priority areas, including coordinated border management, the proposed MoU on pre-arrival exchange of customs data, and strengthening anti-smuggling efforts through enhanced intelligence sharing and enforcement coordination. Deliberations also covered digitization of customs procedures and smoother transit cargo movement under the Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS). Infrastructure upgrades, harmonization of customs processes, and measures to further ease cross-border trade were also reviewed.
As part of the visit, the Bhutanese delegation toured the Kochi Port, where they were briefed on port operations, including vessel berthing and container handling systems. The delegation also gained insights into maritime enforcement practices such as sea patrol operations, identification of suspicious vessels, and the use of advanced communication systems like satellite phones and Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) for cargo monitoring and security.
The meeting concluded on a constructive note, with both countries reaffirming their commitment to strengthening customs collaboration, ensuring secure borders, and promoting seamless and efficient trade under the existing bilateral framework on trade, commerce, and transit.