KATHMANDU: Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla has invited Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali for the next month’s India-Nepal minister-level meeting in Delhi to “discuss the issues of mutual interest”.
” Shringla extended the invitation to discuss the issues of mutual interest that will be beneficial for both the nations. The invitation has been extended for minister-level meeting for December. Nepali Foreign Minister responded positively,” an official from the Foreign Ministry confirmed.
Shringla, who came Kathmandu on Thursday for a two-day visit, called on Nepali leadership –President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
Shringla had also met Nepal Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali and his Nepali counterpart, Bharat Raj Paudyel.
During his meeting with the Foreign Minister, Shringla conveyed an invitation from External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to Gyawali to visit India for the next round of the Joint Commission Meeting.
According to sources, Shringla conveyed India’s interest in deepening economic linkages, promoting connectivity, expanding the development partnership and strengthening people-to-people contacts, particularly among the youth.
He briefed PM Oli on the numerous projects being funded by India, which benefit all sections of Nepalese society. The Foreign Secretary also invited Nepal to take advantage of India’s market and economic growth.
Shringla also handed over 2,000 vials of Remdesivir injections as part of India’s continued support to Nepal in its efforts to combat COVID-19.
PM Oli thanked Shringla for India’s assistance during COVID-19, while discussions took place on vaccine development and deployment. Shringla assured that Nepal’s requirement would be considered on priority.
Upon his arrival, Shringla said India and Nepal have “very strong” ties and their endeavour would be to take the relationship between the two nations forward.”Our bilateral relations are age-old and historic, we have something which very few countries have.
We have civilization ties that come not from centuries but from millennia. “Even during the worst phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, we ensured that great essential supplies and commodities continue to flow between our two countries, and today we are looking at the responsibility of taking our relationship further, faster and to greater heights,” Shringla told media.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Shringla’s visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and the priority India attaches to its relations with Nepal. (ANI)
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