New delhi: The Philippine government has formally established diplomatic relations with Bhutan. The Joint Communiqu© on the establishment of diplomatic relations was signed between Philippine Ambassador to India Josel Ignacio and Bhutan Ambassador to India Major General Vetsop Namgyel in a ceremony in New Delhi.

According to Philippines News Agency, Ignacio emphasized that both countries had cultivated cordial ties for years, with the Philippines actively extending training and other forms of technical assistance to Bhutan. He stated, "[W]e have given flesh to the mutual aspiration of our governments and peoples to promote mutual understanding and strengthen friendship and cooperation, guided by the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law." Ignacio further noted that future engagements between the two nations are expected to gain momentum in various areas such as economic interaction, people-to-people exchanges, tourism, cultural exchanges, and cooperation in multilateral fora.

Namgyel, for his part, highlighted the warm relations and fruitful cooperation between the two states even before the establishment of formal diplomatic ties. He acknowledged Manila's significant contributions to the study and training completion of many Bhutanese students and officials over the years through initiatives like the Colombo Plan, the Asian Development Bank, and the JICA Third Country Program. Furthermore, Namgyel expressed appreciation for the Philippines' role in Bhutan's De-Suung (Guardian of Peace) Skilling Program, under which 17 Filipino expert trainers have provided skills development training for Bhutanese youth.

Namgyel affirmed Bhutan's commitment to work closely with the Philippine Embassy to elevate their friendship and cooperation in the coming years. The signing of the Communiqu© makes the Philippines the 58th country with which Bhutan has diplomatic relations, and notably, the 6th among Association of Southeast Asian Nations states.