Darranga: Trade relations between India and Bhutan got a big push on Wednesday with the opening of a border trade centre by Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal in this town in Baksa district.

An industries and commerce department official said Indian investment in Bhutan is the highest among all nations and there is still huge scope to give it impetus. The border trade centre is a right initiative in that respect, the official said. The Centre had released Rs 14 crore for the centre and work completed last year.

Darranga is adjacent to Samdrup Jongkhar in East Bhutan.

India exports essential items like food materials, LPG, kerosene, petroleum products, including machinery and accessories, meat and fish to Bhutan while it imports potato, gypsum, ferro-silicon and oranges.

This is the 50th year of India-Bhutan diplomatic relations.

A Bhutan consulate was opened in Guwahati and a Paro-Guwahati-Singapore flight was started to further strengthen bilateral relations.

"The Indo-Bhutan border trade centre at Darranga will not only fulfil the commitment of cooperation made by India to SAARC nations but also promote sustainable economic exchange between India and Bhutan, which prevails through interdependency of mountainous and plain regions. Bhutan, being a mountain nation, is dependent on India for most essential commodities. In exchange, Bhutan not only has immense potential for generation of hydel power and mineral resources like gypsum and limestone but also various forest products, horticulture produce, medicinal and aromatic plants. It, therefore, becomes economically attractive for both nations to promote cross-border trade," the official said.

Sonowal said the trade centre came up in Bodoland Territorial Areas District (BTAD) as peace had returned and it will help in development of the area.

He said work will soon commence at Rupshi airport, about 15km from Dhubri, to provide air connectivity to neighbouring countries.

He said his government had taken up several schemes for development of BTAD and the border areas.

"Once completed, the 264km four-laned highway along the Indo-Bhutan border will transform road connectivity and boost trade and commerce in the four BTAD districts," he said.

BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary said there is a plan to establish a market at the trade centre.

Assam industries and commerce minister Chandra Mohan Patowary was also present.