President Bhandari and Indian President Mukherjee hold talks; discuss bilateral issues with PM Dahal

Kathmandu / Nov 2: President Bidya Devi Bhandari and President of India, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, had a meeting at the President’s Office, Shital Niwas today.

In the meeting, President Bhandari and her Indian counterpart held discussions on the centuries-old Nepal-India relations and on various matters of mutual interest and concern, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

The Presidents of the two countries discussed on further strengthening the historic, cultural, social and people-to-people relations between Nepal and India in the meeting that took place in a cordial atmosphere.

Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bharat Raj Poudyal said that the talks between the President duo was focused on mutual interests. “The President of India congratulated President Bhandari, the Nepali people and the Constituent Assembly on the promulgation of the Constitution of Nepal,” Poudyal added.

Present during the meeting were Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Bahadur Shahi, advisors to the President and Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Shanker Das Bairagi.

Also present on the occasion were the Minister of State for Defence of India Subhash Bhamre, lawmakers L Ganesan, Jagdambika Pal, Raj Kumar Singh and Bhubaneswar Kalita, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and Indian ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae.

The Indian President arrived here today on a three-day state visit to Nepal at the invitation of President Bhandari.

Before going into the bilateral meeting, President Bhandari welcomed her Indian counterpart in her office chamber. Earlier, a contingent of the Nepalese Army played the welcome music.

The Indian President’s visit is taking place after 18 years. Before this, the then President of India KR Narayanan had paid a state visit on 28 May 1998.

President Mukherjee and PM Dahal discuss bilateral issues

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal paid a courtesy call on Indian President Pranab Mukherjee at Hotel Hyatt Regency on Wednesday.

During the meeting, matters relating to relations between the two countries and of mutual interest were discussed, according to Foreign Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat. On the occasion, Indian President Mukherjee said that Prime Minister Dahal’s visit to India and high-level talks during his visit to Goa, India recently had further consolidated the mutual relations.

Likewise, Prime Minister Dahal said Nepal would make every possible effort in further consolidating the cordial relations enjoyed by the two countries. He also shared that Nepal was in the phase of implementing the new constitution while also addressing some concerns over it, said Dr Mahat who was also present in the meeting.

Also present were Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Bahadur Shahi, Chief Secretary Dr Som Lal Subedi and Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi, and members of the Indian delegation. RSS