On May 2, 1968, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi retraced her father’s footsteps to Bhutan. His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck held hours of discussion with Mrs. Gandhi on issues that ranged from economic to political changes that the king was eager to pursue to meet the new challenges of development.
His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck (center) during Indira Gandhi’s (right) visit to Bhutan in 1968.
In the same year, Bhutan accepted the Indian proposal to set up an envoy of the Indian Government in Thimphu. This was a wise and timely decision as the political, economic and cultural relations between the two nations were steadily growing. In May 1971 Lyonpo Pema Wangchuk presented his credentials as the Ambassador of Bhutan to India while his Indian counterpart, B.S. Das, did in July of the same year.

In April 1970, President V.V Giri became the first Indian head of state to visit Bhutan.