The Bhutanese Leading the way.
A significant step has been taken toward resolving the long-standing FASTag issue for Bhutanese vehicles, with the Government of India (GoI) sharing a draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for issuance of FASTag to vehicles registered with foreign nationals on 28th November 2025.
The draft SOP outlines the procedural and operational frameworks required to extend FASTag services to Bhutanese vehicles, including the roles of Bhutanese banks in facilitating cross-border toll payments.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, D.N Dhungyel informed the National Assembly on 5th December 2025 that the draft SOP will now undergo a detailed review by key national stakeholders, including the Department of Revenue and Customs (DRC), GovTech Agency, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MoIT), the Royal Monetary Authority (RMA), and the Bank of Bhutan (BoB).
Lyonpo said that once this review is completed, the SOP will require further discussion and joint finalization with GoI.
However, Lyonpo D.N Dhungyel cautioned that there is no definitive timeline for full implementation. “Since the finalization of the SOP requires mutual consensus between the two governments, it is not possible to provide a definitive timeline,” he said, adding that once both sides endorse the SOP and complete domestic preparations, the process is expected to move steadily toward operationalization.
The update comes more than five months after the Member of Parliament (MP) from Radhi-Sakteng constituency raised the issue in the House to seek progress on the double toll fees and the 50 percent extra charge on Ngultrum payments along highways in Assam and West Bengal.
The MP said that during the Third Session, the House was assured that the government, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, would be actively engaging with Indian authorities to resolve the matter within approximately two months, though no exact date could be guaranteed.
Lyonpo explained that the delay is largely due to the FASTag system being originally designed solely for Indian-registered vehicles, requiring an Indian bank account, SIM card, and identification documents. Because toll plazas are configured to recognise only vehicles registered within the Indian FASTag network, Bhutanese vehicles and those from other neighbouring countries cannot currently be accommodated under the existing framework.
