Need to avoid politicisation of India-Nepal border issue, says Harsh Shringla
India Today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba held a wide-ranging discussion during their meeting on Saturday. The two world leaders also discussed the boundary issue between India and Nepal during the meeting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held extensive talks with his Nepalese counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba, covering various key facets of close neighbourly ties between the two countries. Nepal PM Deuba arrived in New Delhi on Friday on a three-day visit.
Following the meeting, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said, “Talks were positive, forward-looking; covered areas like security, development, trade. Nepal PM Deuba thanked PM Modi for standing by them during COVID and supplying them vaccines, medicines, medical oxygen.”
Harsh Shringla added that the boundary issue between India and Nepal was briefly discussed by the two world leaders.
“There was general understanding that both sides needed to address boundary issue in a responsible manner in spirit of close ties,” Harsh Vardhan Shringla said, adding that the policisation of the issue needs to be avoided.
In his statement to the media, PM Deuba said the boundary issue between the two countries was discussed and he urged PM Modi to resolve it through the establishment of a bilateral mechanism.
Harsh Shringla emphasized that the nation’s relationship with Nepal occupy a special place, with India's neighbourhood first policy.
“We have just concluded the bilateral part of the visit. Our relations with Nepal occupy a special place with 'Neighbourhood First' policy, covering a large gamut of issues,” Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said.
