Kerry will hold talks with Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay from the isolated Himalayan kingdom on Sunday in the northwestern Indian city of Ahmadabad on the sidelines of a trade and investment conference.
While the United States does not have an embassy in Bhutan, the US ambassador to India is accredited to Bhutan as well.
We certainly enjoy a diplomatic relationship and one which we seek to strengthen and grow," a senior US State Department officials told reporters on a conference call.
Washington has never had any engagement with Bhutan "higher than an assistant secretary level," the official said.
"This will certainly be the first cabinet level interaction with the prime minister or any other senior official, including in prior years with the king ... so the secretary will be the first to have .. that opportunity," the official said.
Washington and Thimphu have good cooperation, the official said, but Bhutan was looking at ways to "deepen our people-to-people ties or our educational ties."
Washington has never had any engagement with Bhutan "higher than an assistant secretary level," the official said.
"This will certainly be the first cabinet level interaction with the prime minister or any other senior official, including in prior years with the king ... so the secretary will be the first to have .. that opportunity," the official said.
Washington and Thimphu have good cooperation, the official said, but Bhutan was looking at ways to "deepen our people-to-people ties or our educational ties."
