Will strive to take India-Nepal ties to Himalayan heights, says Modi

New Delhi: India and Nepal will strive to take their bilateral ties to Himalayan heights and resolve all matters, including the boundary issue, in this spirit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday after holding wide-ranging talks with his Nepalese counterpart Pushpakamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’. 

In his media statement after the meeting, Modi said he and Prachanda have taken many important decisions to make the partnership between the two countries a “super hit” in the future. As a demonstration of their strengthened collaboration, both leaders jointly inaugurated several infrastructure projects. 

PM Modi reaffirmed their mutual resolve to overcome challenges and deepen their ties. “We will continue to strive to take our relationship to Himalayan heights. And in this spirit, we will resolve all the issues, be it boundary related or any other issue,” PM Modi said in presence of Prachanda.

Recalling his first visit to Nepal - in 2014, after he became PM for the first time - Modi said he had then given a ‘HIT formula’ to improve India-Nepal relations and that today’s agreements would help that relationship become a ‘super HIT’.

“I remember... nine 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 said we will establish such contacts that our borders do not become barriers. Today, the Nepal PM and I have taken many important decisions to make our partnership a super HIT,” Modi said.

In his media address, Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, ‘Prachanda’, urged PM, Modi, to resolve border issues with bilateral talks and extended his invitation to PM Modi to visit Nepal.

“This is my fourth visit to India. The relationship between India and Nepal is age-old. Today we discussed steps to strengthen the ties between both nations. We also jointly launched many groundbreaking projects,” said Nepal PM.

The two sides also signed seven agreements to boost cooperation in a range of areas, including extension of cross-border petroleum pipeline, development of integrated check posts and boosting cooperation in hydroelectric power.

In his media address, PM Modi said that the two leaders established new rail links to increase physical connectivity. In addition to this, a long-term power trade agreement between India and Nepal, and the initiation of the project on the Ramayana Circuit, were also discussed.

“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,“ said PM Modi.

Apart from finalising agreements, PM Modi and Nepalese PM virtually inaugurated integrated check posts at Rupaidiha in India and Nepalgunj in Nepal. They also virtually flagged off a cargo train from Bathnaha in Bihar to the Nepal custom yard.

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, which refers to cross-border marriages between people of the two countries.

The country shares a border of over 1,850 km with five Indian states - Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Land-locked Nepal relies heavily on India for the transportation of goods and services and access to the sea is through India.

The India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1950 forms the bedrock of the special relations between the two countries.