Foreign Secretary Shringla believes that the Indo-Nepal boundary issue should be resolved through dialogue rather than politicisation

*Paromita Das

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Saturday that the boundary dispute between India and Nepal should be resolved responsibly through dialogue.

According to the official, it should not be politicised.
The remarks were made during a press conference following delegation-level talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba.
Deuba stated in a statement that the boundary issue was being discussed. He urged Modi to resolve the issue through the creation of a bilateral mechanism.

“The subject was briefly broached. There was a general agreement that both sides needed to address this responsibly through discussion and dialogue in the spirit of our close and friendly relations, and that such issues should not be politicised “Shringla stated this in response to a question about the matter.
On Saturday, the two leaders met at Hyderabad House in New Delhi and pledged to strengthen bilateral ties in a variety of areas, as well as to inaugurate a number of projects.
These included the construction of a power transmission line, the establishment of a cross-border railway network, and the introduction of India’s RuPay payment card in Nepal.

Following extensive talks, the two sides signed four pacts to expand cooperation in railways and energy.

On the second day of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s official visit to India, the two countries signed an agreement to operationalize the 35-kilometer-long cross-border rail link between Jayanagar in Bihar and Kurtha in Nepal.

The two Prime Ministers jointly launched the use of the Indian RuPay card in Nepal. This would open up new avenues for financial connectivity cooperation and is expected to facilitate bilateral tourist flows as well as strengthen people-to-people ties between India and Nepal.

PM Deuba stated that India is making progress under PM Modi’s visionary leadership.

“I truly admire your love and affection for Nepal and the Nepalis, and my visit today will reinforce these innate sentiments,” he said.
“We had cordial discussions and fruitful discussions on various aspects of India-Nepal relations.” “We discussed how we could strengthen our friendly ties even further,” he added.

Prime Minister Modi welcomed Nepal’s decision to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA), making Nepal the 105th country to sign the ISA Framework Agreement.

“Had fruitful discussions with PM @SherBDeuba, who has always played an important role in strengthening India-Nepal ties.” “We took stock of the full range of bilateral relations, including important development projects that will deepen economic and cultural ties,” Prime Minister Modi said in a tweet.
“Energy is one of the key emerging pillars of India-Nepal cooperation.” PM @SherBDeuba and I discussed expanding cooperation in the power sector. “I am also pleased that Nepal has decided to join the International Solar Alliance,” he added.

PM Deuba thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his support during the Covid pandemic.

During their meeting, Modi presented his Nepalese counterpart with a traditional ‘Pahari School’ miniature painting from Himachal Pradesh.

The exquisite traditional painting depicts the ‘Shravan’ or Monsoon season, which occurs in the months of July and August.
It is customary for Nepalese prime ministers to visit their southern neighbor, India, shortly after taking office, as India has always wielded significant political and economic power over Nepal.

The visit is viewed as an opportunity for Deuba to re-establish relations with Indian leaders, as well as for Indian leaders to re-establish their clout.

Several high-level visits by senior officials, dignitaries, and even members of both countries’ ruling parties have occurred since Deuba’s appointment as PM.

In October, a three-member Nepali Congress delegation led by Prakash Sharan Mahat, head of the party’s international department, visited India, resulting in the establishment of an informal channel and party-to-party engagements.

Modi said in a statement that the friendly ties between India and Nepal are unique. And this is a unique relationship found nowhere else in the world.