Want to Forge Enduring Partnership with India: Nepal PM Prachanda

Prachanda said Nepal and India were friends and bound to remain so. (Photo: IANS)

Nepal is determined to forge an enduring partnership with India for its own development and prosperity, Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ said on Friday.

Prachanda told a joint press conference with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, that they had exchanged views on taking concrete steps to elevate ties with India to new heights in all spheres.

He said he had held useful exchanges on the various projects and programmes that have the potential to bring about tangible results to the people of Nepal and India.

Prachanda and Modi addressed the media after holding bilateral talks at Hyderabad House. Prachanda arrived here on Thursday.

Prachanda also stressed on Nepal’s friendly ties with India. He said he expressed the view that trust and confidence were the pre-requisites of strong and sustainable friendly relations.

We exchanged views on our respective ‘neighbourhood first’ policies and agreed that this common orientation in our policies should lead to a greater and mutually beneficial partnership for 21st century based on trust and open dialogue... we should respect each other’s sensitivities and concerns in a spirit of good neighbourliness.

Prachanda added that “a peaceful, stable, democratic and prosperous Nepal contributes to peace and stability in the neighbourhood and beyond”.

He said Nepal and India were friends and bound to remain so.

Our friendship and fraternity stand on the solid foundation of the historical ties of shared culture and civilisational linkage and the time-honoured principles of Panchsheel and the UN Charter. As close neighbours, our destinies are interlinked. I shared with Prime Minister Modiji how inspired we are by India’s growth and prosperity under his strong and bold leadership.