Announced in December 2023 by King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the mega Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) project is aimed at creating a transformative economic hub in southern Bhutan. For India, GMC is far more than a neighbouring infrastructure project. Situated close to the border with Assam, the initiative directly intersects with India's regional integration goals, security calculations, and economic ties in the Eastern Himalayas. This project, under which an autonomous special administrative region (SAR) has been created, is spread over a vast area of 2,600 square km. Its primary objective is to develop the region as an economic hub and forge strong linkages with the global economy while taking care to preserve Bhutan's environment and cultural ethos. India strongly supports the initiative, recognising substantial strategic gains while countering growing Chinese influence in the region. Earlier this month, when the Bhutanese king went for a visit to Gelephu along with Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Royal Bhutan Army's chief operations officer, Lieutenant General Batoo Tshering, to review the ongoing work, Indian ambassador Sandeep Arya accompanied the delegation. Key representatives from Indian agencies assisting Bhutan were also present, including the IMTRAT (Indian Military Training Team) commandant and the chief engineer of Dantak -- the overseas arm of India's Border Roads Organisation, which is executing crucial infrastructure projects in Bhutan. For India, the GMC project will enhance physical connectivity with its close........

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