New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra PM Modi on Saturday inaugurated a modern hospital built with Indian assistance in Bhutan's capital Thimphu.

PM Modi was joined by his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay in inaugurating the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Mother and Child Hospital in Thimphu – a Bhutan-India friendship project dedicated to the people of the Himalayan kingdom.

The Prime Minister who arrived in Bhutan on Friday for a two-day State visit to further cement India's unique relations with the Himalayan nation, called on the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and held talks with PM Tobgay on Friday.

Bhutan's King Wangchuck conferred the ‘Order of the Druk Glyalpo’ to pM Modi at a public ceremony here on Friday, making him the first foreign Head of the Government to receive the honour.

The award recognises Prime Minister Modi’s contribution to strengthening the India-Bhutan friendship and his people-centric leadership.

"It is with great humility that I accept the Order of the Druk Gyalpo. I am grateful to HM the King of Bhutan for presenting the Award. I dedicate it to the 140 crore people of India. I am also confident that India-Bhutan relations will keep growing and benefit our citizens," PM Modi wrote in a post on X on Friday night.

India and Bhutan established diplomatic relations in 1968.

The basic framework of India- Bhutan relations has been the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed in 1949 between the two countries, which was revised in February 2007.

(Inputs from PTI. Except for the headline, Republic has not edited the content)