KATHMANDU: Gelephu, located in southern Bhutan near the India-Bhutan border, has long served as a significant gateway for trade and tourism.
Roughly 41 kilometers from Kajalgaon (headquarters of Chirang district), 50 kilometers from Bongaigaon, and 340 kilometers from Siliguri in India, this border point has conventionally facilitated shipping and commerce between the two nations.
Now, with the advent of the 2,500 square kilometer “Zero Carbon City” project—Gelephu Mindfulness City—it is being reimagined as a thriving hub of knowledge, technology, and finance rooted in the principles of mindfulness, sustainability, and harmony.
As Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay put it, “Gelephu embodies the cooperative spirit, as every citizen of Bhutan is both a shareholder and a stakeholder, actively participating in this significant initiative.”
Since the announcement of the Mindfulness City plan in December 2023, Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck has visited India twice, engaging with Indian leadership and the private sector to seek partnerships and investment.
India has responded positively, with growing interest in sectors such as infrastructure, hospitality, education, IT, and wellness. As a result, Gelephu is emerging as a compelling destination for investment, giving it a new dimension of strategic development.
In a bid to enhance bilateral economic cooperation between India and Bhutan and expand subregional collaboration—including with Nepal as a key trilateral partner—PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), in collaboration with Visa Inc. and The Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI), organized the Gelephu Roadshow 2025 on 17 July 2025 in Kolkata, India.
Held under the aegis of PHDCCI’s India-Nepal Centre, the event brought together leading industry figures, policymakers, and diplomats from India and Bhutan to promote sustainable development and regional cooperation.
The Gelephu Mindfulness City project was represented at the event by Kinley P. Dorji, Communication Lead (Director, GMC Affairs and Secretary, GMC Board), and Ugyen Tenzin, CEO of DK Bank, Bhutan. In a detailed presentation, Dorji invited Indian investors and institutions to explore long-term opportunities in the project, highlighting key sectors such as sustainable tourism, nature-integrated infrastructure, wellness, education, and spiritual development.
The sessions were moderated by Atul K. Thakur, Secretary of the India-Nepal Centre, PHDCCI. Among the key speakers were Dr. Shiladitya Chatterjee, Economic Adviser to the National Economic Affairs Committee of BCCI; Anand Jha, Vice President and Head of Government Engagement for India and South Asia at Visa Inc.; and Anirudha Barooah, Regional Head of the Kolkata Regional Office at India Exim Bank.
Likewise, others include Jhakka Prasad Acharya, Consul General of Nepal in Kolkata; Dr. Vidyanand Jha of IIM Calcutta; Dushyant Thakor, Deputy Executive Director of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA); Binod Homagai, Co-Founder and COO of WoW Momo; Bikas Rauniar, Executive Director of Interstate Multi Modal Transport Pvt. Ltd.; and Subir Bhaumik, Contributing Editor for South Asia at Eurasia Review and former Eastern India Bureau Chief of the BBC.
The Gelephu Roadshow 2025 has set the stage for accelerating Bhutan’s vision for the Mindfulness City by fostering institutional collaborations and drawing strategic investments from India.
It also reinforces the growing spirit of subregional unity and shared prosperity among Bhutan, India, and Nepal—anchored in sustainable growth, cultural harmony, and economic cooperation.
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