India has identified ten new hydropower projects for development to achieve the target of import of 10,000 MW of hydropower from a neighbouring country by 2020. Which is that country ?

India and Bhutan have a long-standing energy partnership that began with the Jaldhaka project in 1961 [1]. In 2006, both nations signed a comprehensive agreement for hydropower cooperation, which was further strengthened by an additional protocol in 2009 [1]. Under this protocol, India committed to assisting Bhutan in developing a minimum of 10,000 MW of hydropower capacity by 2020, doubling the previous target of 5,000 MW [1]. To achieve this, ten specific hydropower projects were identified, including Punatsangchhu-I & II, Mangdechhu, Sankosh, and Kholongchu. These projects are developed through a mix of grants, loans, and technical support from India, with the surplus electricity exported back to the Indian National Power Grid. This cooperation provides Bhutan with significant revenue while helping India meet its growing energy demands in the north-eastern region.

Sources

1. [1] https://gacbe.ac.in/pdf/ematerial/18BDS45A-U3.pdf