India-Nepal Ties: PM Modi-Prachanda will hold talks today, likely to sign several agreements between the two countries
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Hours after arriving in Delhi on Wednesday afternoon on a four-day visit to India, Prachanda said at an event at the Nepalese embassy that both sides were keen to expand the overall relationship.
The talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpakamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on Thursday will focus on promoting India-Nepal cooperation in the areas of energy, connectivity and trade.
Hours after arriving in Delhi on Wednesday afternoon on a four-day visit to India, Prachanda said at an event at the Nepalese embassy that both sides were keen to expand the overall relationship. He indicated that several agreements are likely to be reached after talks with PM Modi.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Prachanda separately and discussed various aspects of India-Nepal relations. Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra was also present in the meeting. The Nepali Prime Minister said in the embassy program that we are committed to strengthen the relations between the two countries. A high level delegation led by Prachanda has also come to India.
Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist) leader Prachanda will leave for Indore on Friday after bilateral talks. On the same day, along with his daughter Ganga and members of the delegation, he will go to Ujjain to visit Mahakal. After his return, Prachanda will also visit the Special Economic Zone of TCS and Infosys along with the Solid Waste Management Plant in Indore. Prachanda will leave for home on June 3.
Preparation to reduce sourness
During Prachanda's visit, there is a preparation to reduce the sourness in the bilateral relations between the two countries. In bilateral talks, both the countries will refrain from serious discussion on the border dispute. His emphasis will be on sealing important agreements in the energy, trade sector. The power trade between the two companies of India and Nepal will be sealed for the next 25 years. There will be an agreement on digital payments between the two countries.
Energy trade routes will open between Nepal and Bangladesh through India. India will allow Nepal TV to broadcast on its side. Several agreements like construction and expansion of two petro pipelines in Nepal, construction of dry port in Chadani-Dodhra region, a new check post at Bhairahawa, integrated check post at Nepalganj, rail yard construction at Biratnagar will be signed.
Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi welcomed at the airport
Nepal's Prime Minister Prachanda was received by Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi on his arrival in New Delhi. This is Prachanda's first official foreign tour after taking over. Earlier, Prachanda had visited India in 2008 and 2016 as Nepalese Prime Minister. The visit will give new impetus to the close and unique India-Nepal relationship, tweeted Arindam Bagchi, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs.
The Prime Minister of Nepal will also call on President Draupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar during his visit. 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. Nepal depends heavily on India for freight and services.
Nepal wants Indian investment in energy sector and alternative air route: Saud
Nepal's Foreign Minister NP Saud said on Wednesday that Nepal wants to attract more Indian investment in its energy sector, especially for the development of hydropower. He said that Nepal wants a power pact with India so that it can also export power to Bangladesh using the Indian grid. Saud is on a tour of India with Prachanda. He informed that a range of issues including trade, transit, connectivity and border issues will be covered during the bilateral talks.
Nepal will also hold discussions with India to provide an alternate air route to the country. Saud said that his country has very good relations with India and mentioned that his Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is visiting India for the fourth time. Describing Prachanda's visit as a goodwill visit, Nepal's Ambassador Shankar P Sharma said that this visit will take the relations between Nepal and India to a good height.
