In a bid to further strengthen bilateral trade, India and Bhutan have decided to formalise seven additional trade entry and exit points between both countries.

The decision was taken in the commerce secretary Level meeting held between India and Bhutan on trade and transit issues on Wednesday (3 November).

The Indian delegation was led by commerce secretary B V R Subrahmanyam,while the Bhutanese delegation was led by Bhutan government's economic affairs secretary Dasho Karma.

The two sides held extensive discussions on the current trade and transit issues including measures to further strengthen bilateral trade relations and issues of mutual interest, on ways to increase trade connectivity between the two countries, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement.

According to the ministry, through Letters of Exchange (LOE), the following seven additional entry/exit points for trade between India and Bhutan were formalised :

1. Nagarkata Land Customs Station without commodity restriction.

2. Agartala Land Customs Station as an entry /exit point.

3. Pandu port (Guwahati Steamerghat) as an entry /exit point, subject to cross border control at Dhubri.

4. Jogighopa port as an entry/exit point, subject to cross border control at Dhubri.

5. Asian Highway 48 connecting Torsha Tea Garden in India and Ahllay in Bhutan as an additional route corresponding to the Land Custom Station at Jaigaon.

6. Kamardwisa as an entry/exit point.

7. Birpara as an entry/exit point.

This will form an addendum to the Protocol of 2016 India-Bhutan Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit, the ministry said.

Since 2014, trade between India and Bhutan has more than doubled from $484 million in 2014-15 to $1,083 million in 2020-21, it added.