Foreign Secretary Paudyal holds talks with his Indian counterpart

KATHMANDU: Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Paudyal and his Indian counterpart Vinay Mohan Kwatra held a bilateral meeting in Kathmandu, on Monday. During the meeting, the two sides expressed commitment to allow export of power from Nepal to India on long-term basis utilising all products of the exchange market. They also discussed technical upgrading of cross-border transmission lines and early approval of the four proposed transmission line projects under the LOC-IV. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two foreign secretaries reviewed various aspects of Nepal-India relations covering connectivity, trade and transit, power sector cooperation, agriculture, education, culture, health sector and people-to-people relations, among others. The two sides reviewed with satisfaction the progress made in the connectivity projects such as railways, transmission lines, bridges and the ICPs. On the occasion, Secretary Paudyal thanked the Government of India for the supply of fertilisers, easing export restrictions on food grains, and delivery of dialysis machines. The two sides discussed the early conclusion of the renewed transit treaty, review of the trade treaty, and convening of the Inter-governmental Committee on Trade (IGC) at an early date, the Ministry said. Furthermore, the Nepal side has reiterated the request for additional air-entry routes as well as early concurrence of the near-border flight operation of the Gautam Buddha International Airport, Bhairahawa. They also agreed to finalise the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between foreign service academies of the two countries. READ ALSO:

• Indian Foreign Secretary holds courtesy meeting with Minister Paudyal
• Indian foreign secretary Kwatra arrives in Kathmandu
• NICCI honours Indian Ambassador; briefs problems faced by businesspersons
• Nepal-India Energy Secretary-Level meet to be held on February 17, 18
• Nepal urges India to supply additional 90MW power amid power deficit