Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal announced on Tuesday that diplomatic efforts have been initiated with China to convert a loan for Pokhara International Airport to a grant as it failed to garner income, instead piled up more debt. This came after opposition lawmaker Chanda Chaudhary raised questions about the increasing loss and piling debt, Nepal Prime Minister said that talks are underway to convert the loan into a grant. "In order to operate the flights to and from the Pokhara International Airport, a committee has already been formed to study government-private sector cooperation. On the basis of the report prepared by the committee, necessary preparations would be made for the operation of the airport. The loan acquired for the construction of Pokhara International Airport, diplomatic talks are underway to convert it into a grant. Necessary coordination would be made for all the necessary financial management," PM Dahal said. The Pokhara International Airport, opened on January 1, 2023, hasn't seen any frequent international flights except for chartered Chinese flights, which appear on rare occasions. On March 21, 2016, Nepal and China reached a loan agreement stipulating a total loan amount of 1.37 billion Chinese yuan, out of which 355.9 million Chinese yuan were constituted as interest-free- loans. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the aviation regulating body of the Himalayan nation, is responsible for paying the loan amount by the year 2036. Earlier, Nepal PM Dahal, upon returning to Kathmandu last year after his visit to China, announced that Chinese flights would come to Pokhara, helping to cover the loss. While no such flights have commenced, on Tuesday, the Prime Minister, referring to the visit, claimed, "During my recent visit to China (September 22,, 2023), a theoretical agreement was reached about commencing connecting flights from various cities of China to Pokhara, and I believe that international flights would land at Pokhara International Airport and help recover the loss."Days before the inauguration of the airport last year, the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal claimed in a tweet that the airport was a part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which was rejected by the Nepal Government. But soon after the handover, the Pokhara airport exemplified the perils that came with importing China's infrastructure-at-any-cost development model, disproportionately benefiting Chinese firms at the expense of the borrowing nation. China CAMC Engineering, the construction division of state-owned conglomerate Sinomach, played a pivotal role in the Pokhara airport project. It imported building materials and machinery from China, and the airport itself was brimming with Chinese-made security and industrial technology. Despite China's claims about the project's quality, an investigation by The New York Times revealed an unsettling narrative. Multiple individuals involved in the project and a thorough examination of thousands of documents indicated that China CAMC Engineering had consistently dictated terms to maximise profits and protect its interests. Simultaneously, it systematically dismantled Nepali oversight. As a consequence, Nepal found itself entangled in significant debt to Chinese creditors without the expected influx of passengers to repay the loans. The Finance Ministry of the Himalayan nation had signed a memorandum of understanding supporting CAMC's proposal in 2011, even before an official bidding process had started. The Chinese loan agreement exclusively allowed Chinese firms to bid for the project. CAMC initially submitted a bid for USD 305 million, nearly double Nepal's cost estimatefor the airport. This drew criticism from Nepali politicians, who accused the process of being rigged and the price inflated. Following the outcry, CAMC lowered its bid to USD 216 million, reducing the cost by approximately 30 per cent. In 2016, China and Nepal formalised a 20-year agreement for the project, with a quarter of the funding provided as an interest-free loan. Nepal intended to borrow the remainder from China's Export-Import Bank at a 2 per cent interest rate. As construction progressed, glaring issues came to light. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal was responsible for overseeing the Chinese contractor, but the lack of experienced personnel, combined with the inadequate allocation of funds for consultants, hampered the project. Initially earmarked at USD 2.8 million, the budget for hiring consultants to ensure CAMC's compliance with international construction standards was eventually reduced to a mere USD 10,000, diverting funds elsewhere. This lack of oversight allowed CAMC to initiate work before consultants were in place and perform construction work that did not meet international standards. Key components, such as soil density tests for the runway's foundation, were omitted, jeopardising the runway's future stability. Other oversights included the airport's drainage system design, ignoring historical rainfall data and sloping topography, increasing the risk of flooding. The quality of Chinese-made building materials and the identity of vendors were inadequately documented, contravening the terms of CAMC's contract with Nepal, as reported by The New York Times. While consulting efforts were expected to oversee CAMC's work, the Chinese company managed to sidestep consultants and interact directly with Nepali officials, who had limited construction experience. Any efforts to seek additional information or documentation were often fruitless. China's Export-Import Bank had commissioned China IPPR International Engineering, aconsulting firm, to ensure the quality, safety, and schedule of the project and to confirm Nepal's satisfaction with CAMC's work. However, the situation grew murkier in 2019 when CAMC acquired IPPR, turning it from a sister company into a direct subsidiary. IPPR's fees came from Nepal as part of its loan from the Chinese bank. Chinese engineers working on the project claimed that they were instructed not to scrutinise CAMC's work closely, with a focus on delivering an airport. Furthermore, allegations surfaced that documents related to the qualifications of IPPR'sworkers in Pokhara had been falsified. In some cases, even employee credentials were manipulated. Such practices revealed a disconcerting disregard for transparency and accountability. As Pokhara airport struggled to attract international flights, especially from Indian airlines, Nepal's aspirations for the airport were put in jeopardy. Buddha Air, Nepal's largest airline, had requested permits for flights to India but awaited approval from the Indian government. A feasibility study commissioned by CAMC had projected passenger numbers that would enable the airport to repay its loans from profits, but as of now, no international flights have commenced. Nepali officials have reportedly requested that China convert the loan into a grant due to the airport's financial challenges, a matter discussed during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's visit to Beijing in late September. The joint statement issued by China and Nepal during the visit acknowledged the completion and operation of the Pokhara airport but made no mention of plans to waive the loan. The construction of Nepal's Pokhara airport, primarily funded and executed by Chinesecompanies, has raised concerns about the quality of work, the manipulation of oversight, and the burden of debt on Nepal. Additionally, the airport's association with China's Belt and Road Initiative has ignited diplomatic tensions with India, making it challenging for the airport to attract international flights. The Pokhara airport serves as a stark example of the pitfalls associated with importing China's infrastructure development model, highlighting concerns about financial sustainability and transparency, all while fueling geopolitical rivalries in the region.  Source: Beijing Bulletin

At least 128 people were killed and dozens injured after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck western Nepal on Friday. The actual number of casualties is likely to rise. Confirmed numbers of deaths and injuries from the isolated areas have not yet been available. The quake struck just before midnight when many people already were asleep in their homes. Local media footage showed crumbled facades of multi-storied brick houses. Locals dug through the rubble in the dark to pull survivors from the wreckage of collapsed homes and buildings, according to videos and photos posted on social media. What do we know about the earthquake? Nepal's National Earthquake Monitoring & Research Center measured the earthquake at a magnitude of 6.4 and said the epicenter was in Jajarkot, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) northeast of the capital, Kathmandu. According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 and occurred at a depth of 17.9 kilometers (11.1 miles). The German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) pegged the earthquake at a magnitude of 6.2 and depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). Security forces mobilized to help rescue Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal expressed "his deep sorrow over the human and physical damage caused by the earthquake." The government deployed security forces to assist in the rescue efforts. "We have information that there have been human and physical damages in two districts because of the quake, and security forces have been mobilized for rescue work," said home ministry spokesman Nararyan Prasad Bhattarai. Tremors were felt as far away as New Delhi The tremors were felt as far as in New Delhi, the capital of India. Videos on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, showed people running into the streets as some buildings were evacuated. Mountainous Nepal is prone to earthquakes. The Himalayan region, where Nepal is located, is extremely active geologically. The Indian continental plate is shifting beneath the Eurasian plate at a rate of about two centimeters per year, resulting in frequent earthquakes. A magnitude 7.8 earthquake in 2015 killed about 9,000 people and damaged some 1 million structures.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’s recent visit to China has sparked a dilemma regarding Nepal’s stance on the ‘One China Policy’ versus the ‘One China Principle’. Following an eight-day visit to China, he returned to Nepal on Saturday, leaving many questionings which of the two Nepal is adhering to. While the terms ‘Policy’ and ‘Principle’ may seem similar, there exists a significant difference between them. However, statements issued during Prime Minister Prachanda’s China visit and subsequent joint statements have mentioned both the ‘One China Policy’ and the ‘One China Principle’, further complicating the matter. The joint statement issued by Nepal and China on October 9, a day after the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Prachanda and his Chinese counterpart, featured the term ‘One China Principle.’ “The Nepalese side has reiterated its firm commitment to the One China principle. Acknowledging that the Chinese government is the only legitimate government representing the whole of China and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, the Nepali side is against the ‘independence of Taiwan’,” the joint statement stated. Prior to this, Nepal had consistently referred to the ‘One China Policy’ in its statements and joint communiques with China. The terminology used by Nepal had always been ‘One China Policy’. However, the joint statement during Prime Minister Prachanda’s visit marked the first instance where “principle” was replaced by “policy.” This change came after Prime Minister Prachanda’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Hangzhou on October 6, three days before the joint statement’s issuance from Beijing. The statement released by the Nepali Embassy in Beijing following the meeting with President Xi mentioned that Prime Minister Prachanda reiterated his commitment to the one-China policy. “President Xi Jinping expressed happiness over the close friendship, good neighborliness, and bilateral cooperation between Nepal and China. He praised Nepal’s one-China policy and expressed China’s support for Nepal’s sovereignty, geographical integrity, and economic development,” the statement read. Upon his return from China, Prime Minister Prachanda personally read a press note at Tribhuvan International Airport, which made no mention of the ‘One China Principle’. The press note mentioned the ‘One China Policy’ only once. “Nepal has always been committed to the one-China policy. Reaffirming this commitment, Prime Minister Prachanda stated that the relationship between Nepal and China would be based on the principles of Panchsheel, good friendship, mutual partnership, respect for international values and laws, and future actions aimed at elevating this relationship,” Prime Minister Prachanda said while recounting the achievements of his China visit. Notably, only one document released during the visit, the ‘One China Principle’, found its place in the Joint Communiqué, while the document issued solely by Nepal used the term ‘One China Policy’. During their bilateral meeting in Beijing on October 8, Prime Minister Prachanda and his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang also used the term ‘One China Principle’, as indicated in the statement released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. “Nepal is firmly committed to the one-China principle, supports China in safeguarding national sovereignty and geographical integrity, and will not allow any power to use Nepal’s land for anti-China activities,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated. Dinesh Bhattarai, a foreign affairs expert and former ambassador, emphasized the substantial difference between ‘policy’ and ‘principle’. “If ‘principle’ is considered as the constitution, then ‘policy’ is the law. Since the basic law is the constitution, all laws that conflict with the basic law are null and void,” Bhattarai explained. “Shifting from policy to principle implies a loss of faith in China.” Bhattarai noted that China has harbored suspicions that Nepal may be pursuing an ‘independent foreign policy’, leading to its shift from ‘policy’ to ‘principle’. He argued that China’s past behavior indicated this possibility. According to him, China’s change from “policy” to “principal” stems from concerns about Nepal’s actions. (epardafas has compiled this news from an article authored by Surendra Paudel, a seasoned journalist with expertise in diplomatic affairs, published on the baahrakhari.com.) Source: https://english.pardafas.com/

India and Nepal signed a memorandum of understanding for undertaking two High Impact Community Development Projects with the assistance of the Indian government. Taking to Twitter, the Indian embassy in Nepal said, "#IndiaNepal: Partners in #Development Today, @IndiainNepal & @mofaganepal signed MoUs for 2 HICDPs in #Nepal under GoI grant, in #healthcare & #education sectors in Ramechhap & Doti Districts, at a total cost of approx NRs 80.33 million." According to a press statement released by Indian Embassy, the two projects, namely, the construction of Malagiri Shanti Yogashram, Ramechhap District and Kedar Jyotipunja Multiple Campus, Doti District of Nepal shall be implemented through Ramechhap Municipality and Badikedar Rural Municipality, respectively. "The construction of the above projects will provide better health care and education facilities for the local community and improve the quality of life for people in Nepal," the statement read. India and Nepal share a great friendship. India has always stood with Nepal. Earlier, also, a MoU was signed between the Embassy of India and Sushila Thakur Memorial Health Foundation (STMHF), for the distribution of LPG gas stoves and cylinders in Mahottari District, Nepal with the Indian grant assistance of Rs 50 million (approx) under India-Nepal Development Cooperation. This project will benefit nearly 8,000 underprivileged and marginalised families of five municipalities in Mahottari District, Madhesh Pradesh of Nepal. The project is inspired by the Government of India's Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana which is a flagship scheme with an objective to make clean cooking fuel such as LPG available to rural and deprived households which were otherwise using traditional cooking fuels such as firewood, coal, cow-dung cakes. Since 2003, India has taken up over 535 High Impact Community Development Projects in Nepal and has completed 478 projects. Amongst these, 81 projects are in Mahdesh Pradesh including 6 projects in Mahottari District. In addition to these, the Government of India has gifted 23 ambulances to various hospitals and health posts in Mahottari District.

A large number of people on Saturday held a protest in Kathmandu demanding action against refugee scammers and the corrupt. The demonstration comes in light of the arrest of the former Home minister Bal Krishna Khand amid allegations of high-level involvement in sending Nepalese citizens as fake Bhutanese refugees to the US. The protesters held placards and shouted slogans calling for accountability and non-interference from any front as the police continues their investigation. Biplav Adhikari, one of the demonstrators, told ANI, “The web of corruption is quite wide and goes deep. The ongoing investigation should not be diverted or stopped midway just because another issue of corruption has come to light. Though I am from the youth wing of the Nepali Congress, I am here to raise my voice against those who abused power. They should be identified and booked, no matter what post they hold. The corrupt don’t belong to any party. They should be held accountable for their actions.” Scores of people from various walks of life assembled at Narayanchaur, an open field, holding up placards and raising slogans urging the authorities not to spare anyone involved in scams. Politicians, civil society members, professionals and people from various sectors and age groups took part in the demonstration. The protesters were seen handing over flowers to security personnel as a token of gratitude to Nepal Police for arresting the accused in the Bhutanese refugee scam. So far, police have arrested 12 people, including the former home minister and a former home secretary. People have taken to the streets of late to step up pressure on the government to carry out an independent probe into everyone allegedly involved in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam and other corruption cases. Earlier, on May 10, Nepal Police arrested Bal Krishna Khand, former Home Minister and leader of Nepali Congress, in connection with the fake refugee scam. Khand has since been in jail, with the court giving police a custodial extension of three days. The case, which came to the limelight last month, started after the publication of an investigative piece through the grant of the Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal. Faced with mounting pressure to act, the incumbent Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha directed police bodies to carry out an investigation. The scam slowly came to the fore after the police apprehended Tek Narayan Pandey, the incumbent secretary at Vice President’s Office and former Home Secretary. Data and documents retrieved from the possession of Pandey busted the scam web, which is still under investigation. The data and documents exposed how people were swindled of millions of rupees in return for sending them to the United States as Bhutanese refugees. The case further came into the limelight when an arrest warrant was issued against the secretary of the chief opposition party, CPN- UML, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, his (Top Bahadur) son Sandeep and Prateek Thapa, the son of former Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa. Out of them, only Sandeep is in judicial custody for allegedly taking Nepali Rupees 10 million in bribes for assisting the racketeers to prepare the documents. Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and Prateek Thapa are on the run. The Nepal Police have also arrested Indra Jit Rai, adviser to former Home minister Ram Bahadur Thapa. Rai is also indicted for helping the racketeers obtain the fake document from the Home Ministry, which worked as certification for them to send Nepalese citizens as Bhutanese refugees to the US. On June 14, 2022, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Nepal Police launched an investigation into a criminal group involved in a case of fraud. The group had allegedly been scamming people for years by promising to send them to the US as Bhutanese refugees. The government action was in response to a case filed by the victims at the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority against the group a few months earlier. The case was brought to the notice of the Kathmandu Valley Crime Division only in June 2022 after which an investigation was launched. The group has allegedly swindled over 875 people of millions of rupees from different places in Nepal. During the investigation, it was found that the suspects collected between one to five million Nepali rupees per head, promising to send the unsuspecting victims to the US as Bhutanese refugees. After 1990, Nepal saw a huge influx of Nepali-speaking Bhutanese nationals, who were expelled from their country by the Bhutanese government as part of a massive ethnic cleansing drive. The refugees were kept in several refugee camps in Morang and Jhapa districts. After a series of bilateral talks between Nepal and Bhutan failed, the international community, led by the UN refugee agency, started resettling the refugees in third countries, mostly in the US and Europe. Between 2007 and 2016, the UNHCR helped resettle more than 113,500 Bhutanese refugees in eight countries in one of the largest resettlement programmes globally. Nepal’s Home Ministry had formed a task force to find out the ways to rehabilitate Bhutanese refugees denied resettlement. The investigative report by CIJ disclosed the infiltration by government official Rai in the report, where he managed to manipulate the number of “left out” refugees for resettlement.

It remains unclear what caused the plane to go down shortly before landing at an airport in the resort town of Pokhara. The crash is Nepal's worst aviation disaster since 1992. Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority on Monday said the flight data and cockpit voice recorders from the Yeti Airlines plane that crashed in Pokhara have been recovered. The plane was en route from Kathmandu and went down on approach to a newly opened airport in the tourist town of Pokhara on Sunday, killing at least 69 of the 72 people aboard. The data on the recorders may help investigators determine what caused the country's deadliest aviation accident in three decades. Both recorders were in good shape and will be sent for analysis based on the recommendation of the manufacturer of the ATR 72 aircraft, said Kathmandu airport official Teknath Sitaula. The aviation authority said it had inspected all ATR 72 and ATR 42 aircraft that are operating in the country and had found no technical issues. Three passengers still missing Rescuers called off their recovery operations on Monday, saying the search would resume again on Tuesday. The aircraft went down in a gorge near the Seti River, nearly one mile (1.6 kilometers) from Pokhara International Airport. In an update, Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority said out of the 72 people on board, 69 bodies had been retrieved and 41 were identified. Three passengers were still unaccounted for, although rescuers said it is unlikely that they are still alive. "We pray for a miracle. But, the hope of finding anyone alive is nil," said senior local official Tek Bahadur KC. Debris from the airliner was strewn across the crash site, including the mangled remains of passenger seats and the plane's white-colored fuselage. Agonizing wait for relatives Nepal declared a day of national mourning on Monday and set up a panel to investigate the disaster. Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority said there were 15 foreigners on board: five Indians, four Russians, two South Koreans, and one each from Ireland, Australia, Argentina, and France. The rest were Nepalis. Hundreds of people gathered outside the Pokhara Academy of Health and Science, Western Hospital, where the bodies were being kept. The bodies will be handed over to their families once officials finish post-mortem reports, police said. The remains of foreigners, and those which are unable to be identified, will be sent to Kathmandu for further examination.

State-run TV has shown footage of smoke billowing up from the wreckage site following the crash near Pokhara International Airport. Nepal has been plagued by air travel safety issues for years. An aircraft carrying 72 people on board crashed in the city of Pokhara in central Nepal, Yeti Airlines said on Sunday. At least 68 people were killed in the crash, according to officials, but the exact death toll remains unclear. "There are 68 passengers on board and four crew members... Rescue is underway, we don't know right now if there are survivors," a spokesperson for the airline told AFP news agency. Two infants and 10 foreign nationals were among those on board, the airline added. A local official said that rescue workers were already on the scene and that the wreckage was on fire. "Responders have already reached there and trying to douse the fire. All agencies are now focused on first dousing the fire and rescuing the passengers," local official Gurudutta Dhakal said. Hundreds join rescue efforts The plane — a 15-year-old a twin-engine ATR72 according to FlightRadar24 — was headed from Kathmandu, the Nepalese capital, to the resort town of Pokhara, popular with tourists, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said. He also urged security forces and the general public to aid with rescue work. Hundreds of rescue workers were seen searching near the wreckage site. State television showed images of black smoke rising from the crash site with people gathered around the wreckage. It also reported that a number of bodies had been found. Nepal's air travel challenges Nepal is notoriously dangerous for air travel for several reasons. The mountainous country, home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains, hosts some of the trickiest runways with routes heading to remote locations that would challenge the most experienced pilots. The country also lacks advanced weather forecasting infrastructure, made even more complicated by the tendency of the weather to change rapidly, especially up in the mountains. The Himalayan country's air industry is also beset by lagging safety standards and maintenance issues despite a recent boom in air travel. The European Union has banned Nepalese carriers from its air space over safety concerns. Crash sites are also often difficult to get to, as was the case when a plane carrying 22 people crashed into a mountainside at 14,500 feet (4,400 meters) in May last year.

Chief of Indian Army Staff Manoj Pande will be visiting Nepal in August, officials from Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs have confirmed. As per the source, the 29th Army Chief of India will be conferred with the honorary title of Nepali Army by Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari during the visit. "Communication has been received from the Indian Army about the visit of the Army Chief to Nepal in the month of August. We are working on the dates and schedule of his visit. The visit will entirely focus on honouring the Indian Army Chief with the honorary title of Nepali Army, a tradition that has been continued for the ages," the source told ANI seeking anonymity. In the wake of the preparations being made in Kathmandu about the visit of Indian CoAS, Nepal's Ambassador to India, Dr Shankar Prasad Sharma also held talks with the Indian Army Chief earlier on Monday. "Pleasure to call on Chief of Army Staff, General Manoj Pande. We discussed various aspects of bilateral defence cooperation and thanked the Indian Army for their continued support to Nepal. Nepal's ambassador to India tweeted on Monday after the meeting. The Additional Directorate General of Public Information, India, IHQ of MoD (Army) also tweeted on the same day, highlighting the issues that were discussed at the time of the meeting. "Dr Shankar Prasad Sharma, Ambassador of #Nepal to #India called on General Manoj Pande #COAS and discussed aspects of Bilateral Defence Cooperation." Conferring the highest rank to the chiefs of each other's militaries is a tradition that has been followed by Nepal and India since 1950 after then Indian Army Chief General KM Cariappa visited Nepal. Earlier, Nepal's Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Prabhu Ram Sharma came to India from November 9 to 12, last year, at the invitation of his Indian counterpart. General Sharma also was conferred with the honorary title of Chief of the Indian Army. During his visit, Sharma also met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. "Pleased to receive General Prabhu Ram Sharma, Chief of Army Staff, Nepali Army. His visit underlines the closeness of our relationship," the EAM tweeted. Source: ANI  

India and Nepal signed a slew of agreements, including cooperation among the higher educational institutions of the two countries and the state power authorities, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Lumbini. The list of agreements signed between the two countries included the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Lumbini Buddhist University for the establishment of Dr. Ambedkar Chair for Buddhist Studies. An MoU was signed between ICCR and CNAS, Tribhuvan University on the establishment of the ICCR Chair of Indian Studies. Another MoU was inked between Indian ICCR and Kathmandu University (KU) on the establishment of the ICCR Chair of Indian Studies. Other agreements included "MoU between Kathmandu University (KU), Nepal and Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M), India and also between Kathmandu University (KU), Nepal and Indian Institute of Technology (IITM), India for a joint degree program at Master's level." An agreement between the Indian public sector undertaking SJVN Ltd and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) for the development and implementation of the Arun 4 hydro-project was also signed. PM Modi arrived in Lumbini this morning on an official visit. On arrival at Lumbini, Prime Minister was received by the Nepal PM and his spouse Arzu Deuba. Both the leaders participated in the foundation stone laying ceremony for the construction of a Centre of Buddhist Culture and Heritage in Lumbini, on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti. They also visited the Maya Devi Temple. As Prime Minister, this is his fifth visit to Nepal and first to Lumbini. Source: ANI  

Nepal's Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's official visit to India from April 1 to 3 reflects Delhi and Kathmandu's old friendship which flourished back in 1950 when both countries came together and signed the India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship. This treaty was the beginning of everlasting peace and friendship between the two governments and their unique relationship of friendship can be characterized by open borders and deep-rooted people-to-people contacts of kinship and culture. According to the data from 2014, around 6,00,000 Indians are living or domiciled in Nepal while nearly eight million Nepalese citizens live and work in India. During the 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit, India emphasized developing the regional hydro potential, grid connectivity and gas pipelines. Earlier, in 1971, both the countries had a Power Exchange Agreement to meet the power requirements in the border areas of the two countries, taking advantage of each other's transmission infrastructure. Not only in electricity, but in the time of coronavirus also when the entire world was struggling to get the vaccination for their people, India handed over vaccines to Nepal under grants assistance in sync with its 'Neighbourhood First' policy. Under the 'Vaccine Maitri' initiative, India had gifted around one million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Nepal. Nepal has also placed an order for two million vaccines with Pune-based pharmaceutical company Serum Institute of India (SII). Further, India and Nepal are working together to build the Kathmandu-Raxaul railway line, which was signed in the year 2021, that would link Kathmandu with the Indian border town of Raxaul in Bihar. The Buddhist circuit train already in place covers the important destinations connected to the life of Buddha in India and Nepal over eight days. New Delhi not only help India to grow economically or in energy regions but also assist during the earthquake. Earlier, India had pledged one billion US dollars as support for earthquake reconstruction; one-fourth of it was committed as grant assistance to be utilized for health, cultural heritage, housing and education sectors. Even back in 2015, when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal, the Indian Government dispatched National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and special aircraft with rescue and relief materials to Nepal. India also sent a medical team for helping innocent lives in Nepal. India helped in restoring three power sub-stations in Kathmandu valley. Over the last five years and more, India has substantially fulfilled its commitment under various priority sectors identified by the Government of Nepal. Recently, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has mentioned that the reconstruction of 50,000 owner-driven houses in Gorkha and Nuwakot districts under Indian assistance has been completed. The projects in the remaining sectors of health, education and culture are also in progress. It is important to note that India is funding the reconstruction of 70 schools and a library, 132 health facilities and 28 cultural heritage sector projects in various earthquake-affected districts of Nepal. With Indian assistance, many infrastructural projects are either being undertaken or nearing completion or have been concluded in Nepal, with the primary objective of bolstering trade by way of improved connectivity. Approximately INR 5,253 crore worth of road projects are being (or have been) implemented, which would benefit India and Nepal. A category of projects that deserves special mention is road connectivity between the two countries. The projects include a 144 km road from Rupaidiha to Barabanki (INR 1,338 crore), a 184 km road from Sonauli to Gorakhpur (approximately INR 570 crore), the Fobesganj-Jogbani road as well as a road linking Piprakodi to Raxaul (INR 429 crore) and 10 other roads costing around INR 500 crore. India's "Act East Policy" and "First neighbourhood policy" play an important role in making this friendship stronger. The connectivity has assumed greater significance with the formation of regional and sub-regional groupings like BBIN and BIMSTEC. The physical infrastructure being built with Indian assistance will help Nepal boost her trade in the region. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Deuba during his official visit to India is also scheduled to visit Varanasi where he will visit the holy Kashi Vishwanath temple and a Nepali temple also known as 'Shri Samrajeswar Pashupatinath Mahadev Mandir'. The Nepali temple dedicated to Lord Shiva was envisaged by Nepali King Rana Bahadur Shah who was exiled to the city from 1800 to 1804 A.D. The temple belongs to the Nepal government and is one of the most famous temples of the holy city, Varanasi. Source: ANI