KATHMANDU
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ is embarking on his four-day official visit to India today. The visit that is considered to be an important one is his first official visit to the southern neighbour following the formation of the coalition government after the organisation of the elections to the House of Representatives and the Province Assembly in November, 2022.
The delegation includes Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Prakash Saud, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Shakti Bahadur Basnet and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala. During his visit, PM Dahal will hold a discussion with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the bilateral interests, said Saud. Other issues on the table are electricity trade, construction of a transmission line, and the inauguration of an integrated security checkpoint.
The issues of promoting Indian investment in energy and hydropower sector of Nepal, trade and transit and air entry routes will also be put up, he said. The Premiers of both the countries are scheduled to sit down and conclude the issue of air entry routes for Nepal. PM Dahal is scheduled to fly at 1:25 pm today, and his delegation includes government officials, entrepreneurs and media-persons. Upon landing in India, the PM is scheduled to attend some important meetings today evening itself, it has been said. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, the PM will hold delegation-level talks with his Indian counterpart Modi at Hyderabad House on June 1.
Following this, a joint press meet will be organised. It is scheduled for the premiers of both the country to sing some agreements and memorandums of understanding. The Prime Minister of India will host a luncheon in honour of the PM of Nepal and his delegation. During the visit, PM Dahal will pay a courtesy call on President of India, Droupadi Murmu, and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. He is also scheduled to address the Nepal-India Business Summit in New Delhi co-organised by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Confederation of Indian Industry, and interact with business leaders of both the countries.
The PM will also interact with the Nepali community in India on the occasion of a welcome reception hosted by the Ambassador of Nepal to India, Shankar Prasad Sharma. He will also visit Ujjain and Indore, Madhya Pradesh before his return home on June 3. Talking to Rastriya Samachar Samiti about PM Dahal’s visit, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Ramesh Rijal said during the visit, an agreement will take place on the renewal of the transit treaty and the expansion of additional petroleum pipelines.
Similarly, there will be an agreement on the construction of the Siliguri Charali pipeline and terminal tank, the pipeline up to Lothar of Amlekhganj and the storage terminal tank. Similarly, PM Dahal is slated to lay the foundation stone for the integrated check post in Bhairahawa, and co-inaugurate the integrated check post in Nepalgunj with the PM of India Modi, he said. The issues of the construction of a dry port in Dodhara Chandani, the export of jute and opening a fertiliser industry in Nepal after importing natural gas will also be discussed, according to him.
