Nepal’s PM Visit to India

[GS Paper 2 – India’s Neighborhood, Bilateral Relations]

Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is paying a three-day visit to India from April 1 to inject a new momentum in bilateral ties, especially in areas of trade, investment, healthcare and connectivity. 

In the last four years, this will be the first such visit of a Nepalese leader. This will further strengthen the ties between the two countries.

Key Highlights of the Visit

• Sher Bahadur Deuba, the Prime Minister of Nepal is on a 3-day visit to India.

• The Nepalese PM is slated to hold wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 2 during which both sides are expected to make a number of announcements to further expand cooperation in select areas.

• Besides his official engagements in Delhi, the Nepalese leader will visit Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Modi.

• Nepal is important for India in the context of its overall strategic interests in the region, and the leaders of the two countries have often noted the age-old “Roti Beti” relationship.

India-Nepal relations over the years:

• Nepal holds a special significance in India’s foreign policy. It is an important neighbor and also shares geographic, cultural, and economic trade ties.

• Both the countries share an open border and uncontrolled movement of tourists.

• Both the countries share efficient connectivity despite the fact that Nepal is surrounded by India from three sides.

• The perennial river systems of India originate from Nepal and serve as hydropower potential for the state.

• India and Nepal together have called for several initiatives to promote art and culture, and education in both countries.

• India is the biggest contributor of Humanitarian Assistance to Nepal as it lies ecologically fragile zone that is prone to Earthquakes, floods

Treaties and MOUs

• The India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship was signed on 31st July, 1950.

• An MoU was signed for the construction of an electric rail track connecting Kathmandu with  Raxaul in India.

• India has signed three sister-city agreements for twinning cities of Kathmandu-Varanasi, Lumbini-Bodhgaya and Janakpur-Ayodhya.

Issues in India-Nepal Relations:

• China has occupied Nepal’s sentiments and has been an Investor in Nepal’s infrastructure. This has led to an increase in Nepal-China Cooperation.

• The open border has led to increasing in Insurgency and human trafficking.

• In 2020, there was a clash between both countries when the Indian defence launched a road linking the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand. This was opposed by the Nepal Government and they claimed the road to be a part of their territory.

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