New Delhi, May 31 (FN Agency) Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ arrived today on a four-day visit that will see him hold bilateral delegation level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow, after which a slew of agreements are set to be inked. On his arrival, the Nepalese PM was welcomed by Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi. MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a tweet said the visit of PM Dahal will impart renewed momentum to the close and unique India-Nepal relationship.
“PM @cmprachanda of Nepal arrives in New Delhi on his first overseas visit after assumption of office. “Warmly welcomed by MoS @M_Lekhi at the airport. “The visit will impart renewed momentum to the close and unique India-Nepal relationship.” MoS Lekhi in a tweet said: “Honoured to welcome Rt. Hon. Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Prime Minister of Nepal, on his arrival in India. “His visit will further strengthen the close and unique India-Nepal partnership.” A slew of agreements, memoranda of understanding and ground-breaking ceremonies are lined up for tomorrow following the delegation-level talks between Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. According to the itinerary of the visit, PM Dahal will meet PM Modi at 11 am in Hyderabad House on Thursday and the meeting will be followed by delegation-level talks, a luncheon and joint press briefings. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra are set to call on the Nepalese prime minister ahead of the delegation-level talks. According to Kathmandu Post, an issue that is on the Nepalese prime minister’s agenda is signing an amended and consolidated transit treaty.
Nepal and India in the past have exchanged several notes through letters of exchange on the transit treaty, but they are yet to be consolidated. A team led by Nepalese Foreign Ministry joint secretary Ram Prasad Subedi had reached New Delhi to discuss and finalise some outstanding and contentious bilateral issues ahead of the PM Dahal’s visit. Similarly, Prime Minister Dahal will address the Indian business community and meet President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar during his stay in New Delhi. He is also scheduled to visit Ujjain and Indore, Madhya Pradesh after completing his engagements in New Delhi. The two prime ministers will remotely inaugurate the railway yard in Biratnagar, the Jaynagar-Janakpur railway that has been expanded up to the Bijalpura, and the integrated check posts in Biratnagar and Nepalgunj. The Nepal PM is accompanied by five other ministers. The team includes Physical Infrastructure Minister Prakash Jwala, Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Shakti Bahadur Basnet, Foreign Minister NP Saud, Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, Industry Minister Ramesh Rijal, and daughter Ganga Dahal and others. The Nepalese PM is visiting India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.