Icebreaker, India, Nepal agree to speed up bilateral projects

Strap: Senior officials hold virtual talks two days after Nepal PM Oli spoke to Modi

Terai road, rail project discussed

Highlight: The meet mainly discussed ongoing projects under bilateral cooperation covering Terai roads and cross-border railways

Tribune News Service/ PTI

New Delhi, August 17

Senior officials from India and Nepal held a virtual meeting today to turn the focus on the positive aspects of the bilateral relationship after months of acrimony over cartographic changes.

The eighth meeting of the Oversight Mechanism (OSM) through digital video-conferencing, co-chaired by India’s Ambassador to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra and Nepal Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi, reviewed the progress made on various India-aided developmental projects in the Himalayan nation and decided to expedite their implementation.

The mechanism was set up during Modi 1.0 in 2016 to dissipate the ill-will due to the undeclared blockade of trade in the Terai region of Nepal.

The meeting was held two days after Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli spoke with PM Narendra Modi on phone, ostensibly to greet him on India’s 74th Independence Day. In an indirect appreciation of India’s global heft, Oli also conveyed congratulations for India’s recent election as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, said a readout by the Ministry of External Affairs.

The meeting carried out a comprehensive review of bilateral economic and development cooperation projects since its 7th meeting held on July 8, 2019. Both sides agreed to expedite the implementation of projects, said a press release issued by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.

The meeting mainly discussed the ongoing projects under Nepal-India bilateral cooperation covering Terai roads, cross-border railways, Arun-III hydropower project and petroleum products pipelines, according to the Nepalese Foreign Ministry.

Nepal had sought a meeting between Foreign Secretaries to discuss the downturn in ties after India included areas claimed by Nepal in a map released in November. India settled for a meeting between the Nepal Foreign Secretary and its envoy in Kathmandu on developments projects.