The 7th Joint Group of Customs (JGC) Meeting between India and Bhutan was held on 20–21 April 2026 in Munnar, Kerala.
India–Bhutan Trade Relations
- India is Bhutan’s largest trading partner, accounting for nearly 80% of Bhutan’s total trade. Bilateral trade exceeded US$ 1.9 billion in FY 2024–25, registering a growth of over 46% compared to the previous financial year.
- Given Bhutan’s landlocked geography, trade through land customs stations holds particular importance.
- Currently, there are 10 notified land customs stations along the India–Bhutan border- 6 in West Bengal and 4 in Assam.
Key Discussion Areas
- Both sides held detailed discussions on Coordinated Border Management (CBM), MoU on pre-arrival exchange of customs data, strengthening anti-smuggling mechanisms through intelligence sharing and enforcement cooperation, digitisation of customs processes, and facilitation of transit cargo movement under the Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS).
- Improvement of border infrastructure, trade facilitation, and harmonisation & streamlining of customs procedures were also reviewed.