Department of Revenue and Customs, Thimphu Bhutan

Notification

TPN REMINDER

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 | 𝟕𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 (𝐉𝐆𝐂) 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚

The 7th Joint Group of Customs (JGC) Meeting between Bhutan and India was successfully held on 20–21 April 2026 in Munnar, Kerala. The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Sonam Jamtsho, Director General of the Department of Revenue and Customs under the Ministry of Finance, Royal Government of Bhutan, and Mr. Yogendra Garg, Special Secretary and Member (Customs), Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Government of India.

India and Bhutan continue to enjoy close and longstanding trade relations, with India remaining Bhutan’s largest trading partner, accounting for nearly 66% of Bhutan’s total trade in 2025.

The JGC serves as a key institutional mechanism for bilateral engagement on customs-related matters, providing a platform to address issues concerning customs cooperation, trade facilitation, and border management.

During the meeting, both sides engaged in comprehensive discussions on several priority areas. These included Coordinated Border Management (CBM), the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on pre-arrival exchange of customs data, and the strengthening of anti-smuggling measures through enhanced intelligence sharing and enforcement cooperation. Deliberations also covered the digitization of customs processes and the facilitation of transit cargo movement under the Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS).

In addition, the meeting reviewed ongoing efforts to improve border infrastructure, enhance trade facilitation, and streamline and harmonize customs procedures.

The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both sides reaffirming their shared commitment to strengthening customs cooperation, promoting seamless cross-border trade, and ensuring secure and efficient border management under the framework of the Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit.