New Delhi, August 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a state visit to Bhutan, launched the RuPay card in the Himalayan nation. The announcement of the card launch was made during the joint statement issued by Modi along with his Bhutanese counterpart Lotay Tshering.

The RuPay card, used for cashless transactions, is Indian version of credit/debit cards similar to the internationally accepted Visa and Master cards. It was launched with the intent of integration of payment systems in the country by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in August 2014. PM Modi Arrives in Bhutan, Says 'Deeply Touched' by Lotay Tshering's Gesture of Receiving Him at Airport

Update by Prasar Bharti:

In the joint statement issued by Modi and Tshering, the two leaders stressed on deepening the bilateral ties between India and Bhutan to scale it to new heights.

"Who will not want a friend and a neighbour like Bhutan. It is an honour for us that India is a part of the development of Bhutan," Modi said.

"Bhutan has a special place in the hearts of 130 crore Indians. I am very happy that I have come to Bhutan soon after the beginning of my second term," the Prime Minister further added.

Tshering reciprocated the sentiment, saying that Bhutan considers India an equally strategic partner. "India and Bhutan may vary in size but our beliefs, values and motivation are common. Today, I am overwhelmed with the sense pride that the two countries are living the definition of true friendship," he added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 17, 2019 06:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).