India assures of facilitating import of essential supplies: DPM Thapa

Kathmandu / October 19: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa on Monday said his official visit to India was fruitful in preparing a base for consolidating Nepal-India ties and ending the severe shortage of essential supplies including fuel products facing the country.

Speaking to journalists upon his arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) from a three-day official visit to India at the invitation of Indian Minister for External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj, DPM Thapa said, “I have returned with great hopes, I feel that the visit has made an important contribution in removing the misunderstanding between the two countries.”

DPM Thapa further said he has seriously raised the issue of problems faced by the Nepali people due to unease seen in the import of essential supplies including fuel and transportation with the Indian leaders and top government officials. “They have shown serious concern and curiosity towards Nepal’s problem and have assured me there would not be any obstruction from the Indian side in transportation,” Thapa said.

Alternate routes to be eased

DPM Thapa shared that the Indian side advised the Nepali government to make use of the open customs points at the maximum.

They have assured us that the supply of fuel and cooking gas among other essential supplies would not be obstructed from all the border points currently in operation at the Nepal-India border, he said.

The Indian side has pledged to facilitate the supply of essential goods in the country from alternate customs points in case some of them continue to remain obstructed, according to DPM Thapa. He said the Indian government officials had also promised to provide fuel product from depots nearest to the operating customs points.

“There will not be any obstruction in facilitating import from the Indian side, they asked if we could import necessary amount of commodities from available customs points,” the DPM shared.

He further added that the Indian side suggested on bringing all parties dissatisfied with the newly promulgated constitution on board – a means, which the Indian side emphasized would help resolve the current political problems.

The DPM, during his meetings with Indian political leaders, briefed the leaders on the recent political changes and the new constitution. He also told the leaders that the constitution has adopted all types of democratic norms and that the constitution is on the threshold of being implemented.

He added that he had apprised the Indian political leadership including his counterpart about the fact that the Nepali Prime Minister is calling the agitating groups for talks in order to resolve the existing political logjam.

Speaking on India’s perspective towards the recently promulgated constitution, Thapa said that the Indian political leadership had no recommendations on what type of a constitution is needed in Nepal and that the decision completely rested with the Nepali political leadership.

He added that the Indian political leadership wanted to see peace, prosperity and political stability prevail in Nepal.

DPM Thapa said talks on Nepali PM KP Oli’s official visit to India were also discussed while sharing that both sides would set the date for the visit.

The DPM met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, foreign secretary and India’s national security advisors. RSS