Modi, Nepal PM conclude talks with call to reset ties
NEW ELECTRIFIED RAIL LINE TO KATHMANDU TO BE BUILT WITH INDIA’S FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Seeking to reset ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart K.P. Sharma Oil yesterday held wideranging talks and vowed to step up overall engagement and take the relationship to newer heights on the basis of “equality, mutual trust and respect”.
After the delegation-level talks, Modi said India will always stand by Nepal in its quest for all-round growth, asserting that deeper cooperation between the two neighbours will strengthen democracy in Nepal.
In his press statement, Oli, who is seen as favouring a closer relationship with China, said his government wants to build a strong edifice of “trust-based” relationship between the two nations.
Pushing for peace
“Relations between neighbours are different from those of others. Neighbourhood realities make peaceful coexistence, based on the principles of equality, justice, mutual respect and benefits a necessity for shared destiny,” Oli said in the statement in presence of Modi.
The two prime ministers called the talks “very satisfactory”, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale told reporters, adding the focus of the deliberations were on boosting cooperation in sectors like defence and security, agriculture, trade besides enhance railway ways.
“I have come to India this time with a mission to explore ways and means to enhance our relations to newer heights, commensurate with the realities of the 21st century. We want to erect a strong edifice of trustbased relations between the two close neighbours that we are. We want to create a model relationship,” Oli said.
According to a connectivity through network and water joint statement, the two prime ministers resolved to work together to take bilateral relations to newer heights on the basis of “equality, mutual trust, respect and benefit”.
Raxaul to Kathmandu train
According to the joint statement, the prime ministers of India and Nepal agreed to construct a new electrified rail line, with India’s financial support, connecting Raxaul in India to Kathmandu.
Both sides also decided to develop the inland waterways for the movement of cargo, within the framework of trade and transit arrangements, providing additional access to sea for Nepal.
Interestingly, no bilateral agreements were signed after the talks between the two sides.
The Nepalese prime minister said he also shared with Modi Nepal’s concerns about alarming scale of trade deficit.