Guwahati: India and Bhutan are exploring ways to expand inland waterway connectivity through Assam to provide the landlocked Himalayan nation with improved access to global markets.
The proposal was discussed during a bilateral meeting between Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Bhutan’s Infrastructure and Transport Minister Lyonpo Chandra Bahadur Gurung.
During the meeting, Sonowal highlighted the potential of India’s National Waterway-2 (NW-2), which runs along the Brahmaputra, and the Jogighopa inland waterway terminal in Assam as key components of a developing trade corridor between the two countries.
The discussions also covered ways to strengthen connectivity between Bhutan and India’s national waterways and improve cargo movement through the Northeast.
Sonowal highlighted the strategic importance of NW-2 and the Jogighopa terminal as potential gateways for Bhutanese trade with international markets. Improved multimodal connectivity around Jogighopa could provide Bhutan with an additional route for transporting goods and link its trade flows to India’s wider inland waterway network.
The ministers also discussed the potential of the Manas and Sankosh rivers and their possible integration with national waterways. Better connectivity between these river systems and existing inland water transport infrastructure could create additional opportunities for cargo movement between Bhutan and India, particularly through Assam.
The discussions come as India seeks to expand inland waterways as an alternative mode of freight transportation. For Bhutan, improved river-based connectivity through Assam could help address logistical constraints associated with its landlocked geography and provide access to markets beyond its immediate neighbourhood.
The proposed connectivity could also strengthen economic ties between Bhutan and Assam, creating opportunities for the movement of agricultural products, industrial goods and other commodities through multimodal transport networks.
Sonowal also discussed maritime and inland waterway training opportunities for Bhutanese youth at the Centre of Excellence in Dibrugarh, which is being developed to build specialised skills. The initiative aims to extend cooperation beyond infrastructure and trade to human resource development in the maritime and inland waterways sectors.