Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay
Credit: Reuters Photo
New Delhi: Bhutan will have to endure less pollution if pollution level is low in India, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay said on Monday asserting that India becoming an advanced nation will ensure cleaner air for his country as well.
"The less pollution there is in India, the less pollution we have to endure because most of our air, in fact all of it, comes through India.. from the Indian subcontinent into Bhutan. And yes we do bear the brunt of not just climate change but also pollution.
"I am in a hurry to see India becoming an advanced nation, for many reasons. When you (India) become advanced, automatically the air pollution will drop and we will enjoy even cleaner air...," the Bhutan PM said in a session during the NDTV World Summit.
Asserting that he is excited to go on a city tour after the session planned on a Hydrogen fuel bus, Tobgay said, "...so the bus ride is going to be highly symbolic for me. We hope to be able to manufacture green renewable hydrogen for India using hydro power energy. No matter, how you look at it, this may be India's century but you cannot avoid us".
The Bhutan PM said that the Global South looks for India's leadership and if there is any country that can sort out today's problems, it is India.
"Be it economic problems, world looks to India as a market... the COVID pandemic ..the world looked upto india for vaccine and medicines, even Russia and Ukraine, if there is any person who can sort it out I do believe it is PM Modi," he said.
"India is exercising leadership, being a role model for the world...1.5 billion people in a growing economy, you need energy to feel that good. there is going to be pollution..but India is also not shirking her responsibility to fight climate change.
"PM Modi has launched a solar alliance, that shows his emphasis on renewable energy, not just in India but getting like-minded countries from across the world to join the alliance to produce renewable energy," Tobgay added.