S M Krishna will be making his maiden foreign visit as External Affairs Minister to Bhutan on Thursday. This is part of New Delhi’s engagement with the neighbourhood, which had been underlined by Krishna when he took charge.

Krishna will be meeting Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk, Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley and his counterpart, Foreign Minister Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering, during his day-long visit. He is also likely to flag off the first Druk Air flight from Paro to Bagdogra on Thursday.

Krishna is likely to sign an agreement with Tshering for providing scholarships worth Rs 1 crore to talented Bhutanese students for higher studies in Indian educational institutions.

The importance attached to Bhutan can be gauged from the fact that President Pratibha Patil visited Bhutan in November last year to attend the formal coronation of the present King. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh too had visited Bhutan in May last year, soon after the establishment of the new democratically elected government there.

“India and Bhutan share unique, warm and cordial relations. These relations are characterised by close consultations, maturity, complete trust and mutual understanding,” a senior MEA official said, adding that these visits were in keeping with the tradition of regular visits and exchange of views at the highest levels between the two countries.