PremiumKwatra and Paudyal also reviewed the implementation of initiatives announced during Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s visit to India in April and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi’s trip to Lumbini in May
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NEW DELHI: India’s foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra held a meeting with his counterpart from Nepal, Bharat Raj Paudyal, who is on a two -day visit to the country, and discussed various bilateral issues, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
During the meeting, the two foreign secretaries reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation between India and Nepal, including economic and commercial cooperation, enhancing connectivity, development cooperation, trade, culture, and people-people relations, the MEA release said.
Kwatra and Paudyal also reviewed the implementation of initiatives announced during Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s visit to India in April and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi’s trip to Lumbini in May, it said in a statement.
The MEA said the recent progress in bilateral cooperation in power sector, including export of power from Nepal to India, was appreciated by the two foreign secretaries.
“It was also agreed that both sides will work to further strengthen such cooperation in keeping with the joint vision statement on power sector cooperation adopted during the visit of PM of Nepal to India in April," the ministry said.
“Both sides also welcomed recent signing of the Memorandums of Understanding between India’s NHPC and Investment Board Nepal (IBN) on the development of West Seti and SR-6 project," it said.
“In terms of connectivity projects, the progress made in the operationalisation of Kurta-Bijalpura segment of Jayanagar-Bardibas rail link and Bathnaha-Nepal Custom Yard segment of Jogbani-Biratnagar rail link, which are significant steps in further strengthening the people-people links, was noted with satisfaction," the MEA said.
“The Nepali side appreciated the COVID-19 assistance provided by India during the pandemic and also thanked the Indian side for keeping the supply lines of trade open, even during the peak of the lockdown," it said.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, both sides have agreed to expeditiously progress on project proposals for the Ramayana Circuit to further strengthen people-to-people links.
“Both sides also agreed to expeditiously implement the extension of petroleum pipeline from Amlekhgunj to Chitwan and construction of an LPG pipeline from Motihari to Chitwan," it said.
On Wednesday, Nepal’s foreign secretary is expected to call on external affairs minister S. Jaishankar.
“The visit of the foreign secretary of Nepal is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries," the MEA said.