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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Saturday jointly flagged off the first India-Nepal passenger rail link, launched the RuPay payment card in Nepal and inaugurated the Solu Corridor 132 KV Power transmission line and substation in Nepal built under the Indian governent’s Line of Credit.
The two leaders, in their bilateral meeting in New Delhi, also decided to prioritise trade and cross-border connectivity.
“They reviewed the full spectrum of the bilateral agenda covering political, economic, trade, energy, security and developmental issues. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval called on Prime Minister Deuba during his stay in New Delhi,” according to an official release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Deuba is on a three-day visit to India and is scheduled to go to Varanasi on Sunday.
“He will be received at Varanasi by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath, who will also accompany him during this leg of his stay,” the release added.
Cross-border ties
This is Deuba’s first bilateral visit abroad after becoming Prime Minister in July 2021. He visited India in each of his four earlier stints as PM, the last one being in 2017.
“A landmark in cross-border connectivity. PM @narendramodi and PM @SherBDeuba of Nepal flagged off the inaugural run of the first broad-gauge passenger rail link between the two countries,” MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted. The service connects India and Nepal in the Jayanagar-Kurtha section with a total of 2.95 km in India while the remaining 65.75km is in Nepal.
The use of Indian RuPay card in Nepal, which was jointly launched by the two PMs, would open new vistas for cooperation in financial connectivity and is expected to facilitate bilateral tourist flows as well as further strengthen people-to-people linkages between India and Nepal, the release said. Nepal is the fourth country to launch RuPay after Bhutan, Singapore and UAE.
Power sector
India and Nepal signed a joint vision statement on power sector cooperation spelling out the shared commitment as well as opportunities for win-win collaboration in power generation, transmission and trade. In addition to the inauguration of the 90 km long 132 KVDC Solu Corridor transmission line and substation, both sides also agreed to expedite progress in the implementation of the Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project.
Deuba appreciated the fresh approvals granted to the Nepal Electricity Authority for export of substantial amount of power to India. He further invited greater participation of Indian companies in Nepal’s hydropower development projects.
Modi welcomed Nepal’s decision to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA) on April 1, 2022, becoming the 105th country to become a signatory to the framework agreement.
The two PMs also decided to accelerate action to further deepen and facilitate trade, investment and connectivity linkages.
“Both Prime Ministers welcomed the recent conclusion of the G-to-G Agreement to facilitate the long term supply of fertilisers from India to Nepal and the renewal of the Five-Year General Supply Agreement for supply of petroleum products from India to Nepal,” the release said.
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