India, Nepal discuss border issues during sixth Joint Commission Meeting

New Delhi, Jan 16: Nepal Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, who is on a three-day visit to India, held talks to resolve the outstanding boundary issue. Both the countries also reviewed the Peace and Friendship Treaty of 1950, air entry routes, and boundary matter and expressed the commitment to early completion of the boundary works in the remaining segments.

 

 

In an address at the Indian Council of World Affairs, the Nepalese foreign minister said finding a solution to the outstanding border issues between India and Nepal will help instill a greater degree of trust and confidence in bilateral ties. "While both sides have agreed to resolve the boundary question through talks, we have also shown wisdom that despite the difference in one area, the momentum of our overall engagements is continued," he said.

 

"We are also mindful that we should not let any outstanding issue between us be there forever and become irritant in an otherwise friendly relationship," he said. The bilateral ties between India and Nepal were strained after Nepal last year published a new political map that showed the three Indian territories - Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh - as part of Nepal.

 

 

Earlier in the day, Pradeep Gyawali held wide-ranging talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, including the ways to expand cooperation on connectivity, economy and trade, power, oil and gas, water resources, political and security issues, border management, development partnership, tourism, culture, education and capacity building.

 

 

Noting the milestone achieved by the Motihari-Amlekhganj petroleum products pipeline, the two sides discussed the expansion of the pipeline to Chitwan and the establishment of a new pipeline on the eastern side connecting Siliguri to Jhapa in Nepal.

 

There was also the completion of work on the first passenger railway line between India and Nepal from Jaynagar to Kurtha via Janakpur and noted that operating procedures for commencement of train services were being finalized. Other cross-border rail connectivity projects, including a possible Raxaul-Kathmandu broad gauge railway line, were also discussed.

 

Speaking about the cultural heritage projects in Nepal, India conveyed that it would undertake two more cultural heritage projects in Nepal, namely, the Pashupatinath Riverfront Development and the Bhandarkhal Garden Restoration in Patan Durbar, with grant assistance.

 

 

During his meeting with S Jaishankar, Nepalese Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali congratulated New Delhi on the remarkable success in the production of Covishield and Covaxin vaccines in India and requested for early provision of vaccines to Nepal.

 

"Today as we wait for the availability of Covid-19 vaccines, India is one of the few front runners that have started vaccinating the people. This has given us great hope. I take this opportunity to congratulate India and its innovative companies for success. Being next door, we believe we too will be availing these vaccines," he said during the ICWA address.