New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ at Hyderabad House in Delhi today. As per the Minister of External Affairs, both PMs hold discussions on ways to take the special and unique Inaid-Nepal relationship to greater heights.
‘Prachanda‘ arrived in Delhi on Wednesday afternoon on a four-day visit to India, his first bilateral trip abroad after assuming the top office in December 2022. Nepal is important for India in the context of its overall strategic interests in the region, and the leaders of the two countries have often noted the age-old “Roti Beti” relationship.
PM Modi and Prachanda meeting
Following the meeting of the Prime Ministers, India and Nepal signed seven agreements to boost cooperation in several areas including trade and energy. The exchange of agreements takes place between India and Nepal in the presence of both prime ministers.
PM Modi, Nepalese counterpart Pushpakamal Dahal virtually inaugurate integrated check posts at Rupaidiha in India and Nepalgunj in Nepal. They jointly set into motion construction of several infrastructure projects after their talks. Both leaders virtually flagged off cargo train from Bathnaha in Bihar to Nepal custom yard.
Prime Minister Modi and Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda jointly unveil the e-plan of the Kurtha-Bijalpura section of the Railway. Both the Prime Ministers jointly flag off the Indian Railway cargo train from Bathnaha to Nepal Custom yard.
In April last year, RuPay card was launched in Nepal during the visit of then-Nepalese PM Sher Bahadur Deuba to India.
PM Modi, Nepal PM Prachanda joint press briefing
"We will continue to strive to take India-Nepal ties to Himalayan heights," said PM Modi after talks with Nepalese counterpart Prachanda. Prime Minister Modi said that he and PM Prachanda have taken many important decisions today to make the partnership a super hit in future.
He said that to further strengthen the religious and cultural ties between India and Nepal projects related to Ramayana Circuit should be expedited. "Transit agreements have been signed today. We have established new rail links to increase physical connectivity. Long term power trade agreement has been established between India and Nepal today. This will give strength to the power sector of our countries. The religious and cultural ties between India and Nepal are very old and strong. To further strengthen this, we have decided that projects related to Ramayana Circuit should be expedited: Prime Minister Narendra Modi," PM Modi said.
PM Modi's 'HIT' formula for India-Nepal ties
PM Modi remembers his first 2014 visit to Nepal and said that he at that time had given a "hit" formula for India-Nepal relations. “I remember, 9 years ago, in 2014, I made my first visit to Nepal. At that time I had given a "hit" formula for India-Nepal relations - Highways, I-ways, and Trans-ways. I had said that we will establish such contacts between India-Nepal that our borders do not become barriers between us. Today Nepal PM and I have taken many important decisions to make our partnership a super hit in the future,” he said.
Nepal PM urges PM Modi to resolve the border issues
Nepal's Prime Minister urged Modi to resolve the border issues with bilateral talks. "I urge PM Modi, to resolve the border issues with bilateral talks," says Nepal PM during the joint press meeting at Hyderabad House. He also invited PM Modi to visit Nepal. "I have extended a cordial invitation to PM Modi to visit Nepal. I look forward to welcoming him in Nepal," he added.
PM Prachanda said that the relationship between India and Nepal is age-old. "This is my fourth visit to India. The relationship between India and Nepal is age-old. Today we discussed over steps to strengthen the ties between both nations. We also jointly launched many groundbreaking projects," he said.
The Nepalese prime minister is also scheduled to call on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Nepal is considered an important country for New Delhi as it shares a border of over 1,850 km with five Indian states – Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The land-locked nation relies heavily on India for the transportation of goods and services.
Nepal's access to the sea is through India, and it imports a predominant proportion of its requirements from and through India. The India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1950 forms the bedrock of the special relations between the two countries.
On Friday morning, the Nepalese prime minister will travel to Indore and will leave for Kathmandu the next day.
(With agencies input)
