Enhancing Connectivity: India-Bhutan Railway Project

India-Bhutan Railway Connectivity Project: Primer

India has announced two new cross-border railway projects with Bhutan, aimed at strengthening regional connectivity and countering China’s growing influence. These projects will boost trade, industrial cooperation, and people-to-people ties.

The Two New Links

Kokrajhar (Assam, India) – Gelephu (Bhutan)

• Length: 69 km
• Estimated cost: ₹3,456 crore
• Stations: Six new stations in Assam – Balagaon, Gauripur, Fakiragram, Ambari, Rupsi, Samuktala
• Strategic Importance: Connects Bhutan’s emerging industrial hub at Gelephu with India’s North-East

Banarhat (West Bengal, India) – Samtse (Bhutan)

• Length: 20 km
• Estimated cost: ₹577 crore
• Infrastructure: 1 major bridge, 24 minor bridges, 35 overpasses, 37 underpasses
• Construction time: 3 years

Why Gelephu and Samtse?

• Gelephu: Emerging as Bhutan’s “Mindfulness City”, an industrial zone, and key entry point for Bhutanese exports
• Samtse: Growing as an industrial hub for limestone, dolomite, ferro-silicon, and other minerals

Strategic Significance

For Bhutan

• Reduces reliance on road transport and lowers freight cost
• Facilitates export of minerals and industrial products to India
• Boosts employment and infrastructure in border regions

For India

• Enhances connectivity in Assam and West Bengal
• Counters China’s growing influence in Bhutan through infrastructure projects
• Provides India with a direct trade route to Bhutan’s industrial clusters

For the Region

• Expands South Asia’s cross-border railway grid
• Strengthens BIMSTEC and BBIN regional integration
• Helps Bhutan diversify trade beyond hydropower exports

Implementation Challenges

• Land acquisition and clearances on the Indian side
• Environmental safeguards in ecologically sensitive Himalayan terrain
• Dependence on Bhutan’s readiness to complete its share of the project
• Balancing local community concerns with industrial development

Synopsis

The India-Bhutan railway connectivity projects — Kokrajhar–Gelephu and Banarhat–Samtse — are set to deepen bilateral ties, strengthen Bhutan’s industrial economy, and reinforce India’s strategic presence in the eastern Himalayas. While challenges such as land acquisition, environmental safeguards, and cross-border coordination remain, these projects mark a significant step towards regional integration, trade facilitation, and geopolitical balancing.