IAS NEXT: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nepal’s PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” held “comprehensive, constructive and future-oriented” talks on Thursday at Hyderabad House here, following which the two nations inked seven pacts, including in infrastructure and connectivity, and concluded a long-term power trade agreement under which India will be importing 10,000 MW of electricity from Nepal in the next 10 years.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal held a meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.
The delegations of both countries attended the bilateral meeting, which took place in the Nilgiri room of the Indian Prime Minister’s State Guest House.
During the meeting, they discussed and reached agreements on various matters of mutual interest and issues of the two countries, including energy trade, commerce, and air routes.
Following the bilateral meeting, Dahal and Modi jointly addressed a press conference at Hyderabad House and announced the signing of various agreements and MoUs.
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The two prime ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the agreement to extend trade and transit and for the construction of the Siliguri-Jhapa Petroleum Pipeline.
Dahal and Modi jointly laid the foundation for the construction of Sunauli Bhairahawa Integrated Checkpost, a petroleum pipeline from Amlekhganj to Lothar in Chitwan and Gorakhpur-New Butwal 400 KV double circuit transmission line.Speaking at the press meeting, Prime Minister Dahal shared the southern neighbor’s positive indications to Nepal’s request for additional high-altitude entry routes.
“Nepal welcomes India’s positive indication of air entry routes for bilateral flights, which is operationally feasible for ATR aircraft. We request approval of an additional high-altitude entry route from Mahendranagar at an early date,” Dahal said.
Furthermore, Dahal also stated that India had approved near-border flight operations at the Gautam Buddha International Airport, Bhairahawa, through Instrument Landing System (ILS). Similarly, they inaugurated the Nepalgunj-Rupadia Integrated Checkpost along with the Bathana-Biratnagar Cargo Train.
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Nepal and India have also signed a long-term power agreement on selling Nepal’s excess power to the southern neighbor. They also signed a project development agreement for the construction of the Pukhot-Karnali Hydropower Project and a contract for the construction of the Lower Arun hydropower project under Indian investment.
Dahal and Modi also signed agreements on digital payment between Nepal and India.
Indian Prime Minister Modi has also organized a luncheon in honor of Dahal.
Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal laid a wreath at the cemetery of Mahatma Gandhi in Rajghat, India.
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