Gelephu has long been a passage between Bhutan and India, serving as an important trading post and transit point for monks and traders moving between the Indian plains and Bhutanese highlands. Its long-standing role as a lifeline and strategic location on the fertile plains, in contrast to the mountainous terrain that dominates much of the Himalayan kingdom, has given shape to a new dream for King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who is developing the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) as the first of its kind special administrative region (SAR) in Bhutan based on a “two systems, one country” policy.
“It is designed for Bhutan. But it is not just for Bhutan. It is going to benefit Assam and all of India,” said Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay. “We see it as an economic gateway for the world to India and through India to southeast Asia.”
This transformation aims to turn Gelephu into an economic and a strategic corridor bringing India and Bhutan closer, without disturbing Thimphu’s comfortable relationship with its other neighbour, China.
Trivia
Interestingly, Gelephu has a nostalgic connection with India as well. It is one of the three frontier towns of Bhutan which had Indian names till 1959. Gelephu was originally called Hatisar, while the other two were called Jaigaon Bhutan and Gudama or Mela bazaar.
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