Kolkata, Jan 31 (ANI): To promote motor sports and strengthen ties between the two neighbouring countries, the third edition of the India-Bhutan Friendship Car Rally was flagged off from Kolkata on Sunday.

The rally has been jointly organised by Indo-Bhutan Friendship Car Rally Association and India-Bhutan Foundation, in association with JK Tyres and Industries Ltd.

The theme of this year’s rally is ‘Connecting People’ and it is being organized as a part of a friendship program that began in 2007, to build strategic relations between India and Bhutan.

“This rally has catered to the friendship at the grassroots level. The slogan of our event is ‘Connecting People’, so through this car rally we are trying to further the friendship and brotherhood between the two countries,” said P Majumdar, chief organiser, Indo-Bhutan Friendship Car Rally.

Dasho Tshering Wangda, the Consul General of the Royal Consulate of Bhutan further said that the event would help develop amiable relations among people of the two neighbouring nations.

The rally that started from Siliguri city in West Bengal will cover a total distance of 800 kilometres in three legs.

The first leg will be from Siliguri to Phuntsholing, the border town of Bhutan. In the second the motorists will travel from Phuntsholing to Gelephu, a town located on the Indo-Bhutan border and the final leg will be from Gelephu to Bhutan’s capital city of Thimpu.

The rally will last till February 6.

Over 28 participants from India and 12 from Bhutan are taking part in the rally. (ANI)