Embassy of India

Embassy of India

Thimphu

Press Release

Subject: Valedictory Session of the eITEC Capacity Building Program for Bhutanese Judges

1.   The valedictory session marking the successful completion of an intensive capacity building program for Bhutan’s judiciary was held on 21 January 2022. The event was attended by Judge Pema Needup- Director General of the Bhutan National Legal Institute, Judge Gembo Dorji- Registrar General of the Supreme Court of Bhutan, Poonam Saxena- Vice Chancellor of the National Law University, Jodhpur, Niteen S Yeola, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India, Thimphu and  Arindam Bhattacharya, Director, Development Partnership Administration-IV, Ministry of External Affairs.

2.   Development partnership occupies a paramount place in India's foreign policy. The focus of the ITEC program is to share India’s technical know-how and expertise by offering customized training courses by India’s premier institutions. The virtual training course conducted by National Law University, Jodhpur was customized to suit the needs of the Bhutan’s judicial officers.

3.   In total, 14 courses covering a wide range of subjects such as International Commercial Arbitration, International Trade and Investments Law, Cyber Crimes and Cyber Security, Environmental Law, Gender Justice, Judicial Ethics and Child Justice. The course was conducted over the span of one year giving Bhutanese judicial officers the flexibility to balance the training program with their official workload.  More than 50 judges serving in Bhutan’s High Court, District courts, and Sub-District courts across 12 Dzongkhags participated in the program.

4.   Bhutan is one of the top beneficiaries of ITEC courses and in the last 10 years, almost 2862 individuals from Bhutan have availed ITEC courses. Outreach through the ITEC programs has strengthened the educational links between our two countries and builds on the warm people to people relations which form the foundation of the India-Bhutan relationship. 

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