The Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Employment (MoICE) led a delegation to the recently inaugurated Jogighopa Inland Waterways Transport Terminal (IWTT) in Assam on 27 March 2025. The delegation, comprised mainly of private sector representatives from Gelephu, Samdrup Jongkhar and Phuntsholing and also officials from MoICE, the Regional Revenue and Customs, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and the Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The delegation was warmly received by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and the IWTT team. The visit aimed to understand the terminal’s infrastructure, operational framework, and regulatory mechanisms relevant.

The Secretary expressed appreciation to the Government of Assam and IWAI for their hospitality and commended the launch of the Jogighopa IWTT as a milestone in regional trade logistics. She highlighted its importance for Bhutanese private sector, particularly those in Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar, given its proximity—90 km from Gelephu and 177 km from Samdrup Jongkhar. The multimodal transport options, including upcoming railway connectivity, presents cost-effective and sustainable alternatives to conventional road transport.

As a designated trade and transit entry-exit point under the Agreement on Trade, Commerce, and Transit between Bhutan and India, the Jogighopa IWTT is poised to enhance cross-border trade. The delegation discussed key issues such as customs clearance procedures, port handling capabilities, trade facilitation measures, and required documentation for Bhutanese exports. On the return journey, the delegation also visited the Dhubri inland waterways terminal and met with the officials there as Dhubri is currently being utilized by the private sector. With this visit, it is anticipated that the private sector will now start utilizing Jogighopa Inland Waterways facilities for cross border trade.