Kathmandu, Nov 4 (IANS) Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Wednesday held a series of meetings with Nepali cabinet ministers and senior government officials, discussing ways to deepen bilateral relations and expand cooperation in several areas during his visit to the Himalayan nation.
Misri, who arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday morning for a two-day official visit, began his high-level engagements by meeting Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal, Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle and Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha. He also held delegation-level talks with a Nepali team led by his counterpart, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai.
During the meeting between the two Foreign Secretaries, the sides discussed a range of issues of mutual interest in preparation for the forthcoming visit of the Nepali Prime Minister, Balendra Shah, to India, the Indian Embassy in Nepal said in a social media post.
Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the talks covered the entire gamut of Nepal-India relations, including high-level exchanges, connectivity, trade, development cooperation, energy and people-to-people relations.
Nepali officials said the two sides also discussed several initiatives they want to advance during the Prime Minister’s upcoming visit. Misri’s visit is expected to lay the groundwork for Prime Minister Shah’s proposed visit to India later this month.
Nepali officials said the visit would help prepare the agenda for Shah’s proposed trip to New Delhi. Kathmandu wants to advance discussions on several outstanding issues, including the border dispute, revision of the trade treaty and additional air-entry points for international flights through India.
Nepal is also expected to seek a substantial assistance package from India following the devastation caused by the August 26 floods, a Nepali Foreign Ministry official told IANS earlier.
During the talks, Misri reportedly said India stood ready to consider requests for assistance in recovery and reconstruction following the recent flood disasters.
“India and Nepal share a unique relationship, and we are each other’s partners in good times and in bad times,” he said.
His Nepali counterpart, Rai, said Misri’s visit would be instrumental in laying the groundwork for Prime Minister Shah’s visit to India later this month.
Earlier on Wednesday, Misri called on Foreign Minister Khanal at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two sides discussed ways to further strengthen their multidimensional partnership and deepen their longstanding historical and friendly relations.
According to Khanal’s Secretariat, the discussions also covered energy, aviation, trade, sports and education. Khanal expressed confidence that the close relations between Nepal and India would reach new heights.
Misri also met Nepali Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, with discussions focusing on expanding bilateral electricity trade, expediting hydropower projects and strengthening cooperation in disaster response.
According to Shrestha’s secretariat, the minister thanked the Indian government for its assistance during the series of disasters Nepal has recently experienced.
He urged India to expand electricity trade, facilitate the completion of ongoing projects in Nepal and encourage greater private-sector investment in the country’s energy sector.
Misri said India was ready to cooperate with Nepal in the energy sector. The two sides also discussed early warning systems and other areas of energy cooperation.
The Indian Embassy said in its social media post that the interaction also featured a review of ongoing projects and initiatives, as well as discussions on ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in energy and water resources.
Misri also held a meeting with Nepali Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle. According to the Indian Embassy, the talks featured a substantive exchange of views on further strengthening the comprehensive and wide-ranging economic partnership between the two countries.
Local media reports said Misri was also scheduled to call on Prime Minister Shah on Thursday before returning to New Delhi.
He is also expected to convey an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Shah to visit India.
–IANS
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