'Wonderful relationship, more opportunity for us to engage': Nepal FM hails ties with India (IANS Exclusive)
New Delhi, June 7
Hailing ties between Nepal and India, visiting Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said on Sunday that the two nations share a "wonderful relationship" but noted that they have more opportunities to engage in terms of better cooperation in connectivity, tourism, and the energy sector.
In an interview with IANS, Khanal stated that India and Nepal have "historical and good relationship". He stated that he expects more high-level visits on both sides.
The Nepalese minister is currently on a three-day visit to India, his first after assuming office earlier this year.
On how he assesses ties between India and Nepal, Khanal said: "We have a really good relationship. It's a historical relationship. It's a very multi-dimensional nature from tourism, from our river system, our water, our energy, and our families are connected. So, we've always had wonderful relationships with India. But we do see more opportunity for us to engage. We want to build whatever we have historically, we want to work to build our relationship in terms of better cooperation in connectivity, in the energy sector, in trade and tourism."
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Saturday handed over 72 health facilities and 12 cultural heritage projects to Nepal under the Reconstruction programme post 2015 earthquake, after the meeting with Khanal.
Both leaders also witnessed the exchange of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Digital India Bhashini and Kathmandu University for co-creating the National Digital Infrastructure for a 'Voice First' Language Translation platform for Nepal.
Asked when Nepal PM Balendra Shah plans to visit India, Khanal said: "There's no specific date fixed, but I do expect the highest-level visits on both sides because through my visit, it has started. So, we expect this to continue over the next several months."
When asked about recent remarks of the Nepal PM on the India-Nepal boundary issue, Khanal said, "My ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has already clarified. The Prime Minister was responding to a question on what is called a cross-border occupation. So, we've made that clarification already."
Recently, Balen Shah claimed that Nepal has encroached on Indian territory. However, he did not disclose any details about where Nepal had encroached upon Indian land.
Shah was responding to local lawmakers who had questioned him about India's alleged encroachment of the disputed regions of Limpiyadhura, Lipulek, and Kalapani. Both Nepal and India claim sovereignty over these areas, though the region has been effectively under Indian control for decades.
"After becoming Prime Minister, I came to know that not only has India encroached on Nepal's land, but Nepal has also encroached on India's land in multiple places," Shah said.
"Both sides should sit down and look into the matter."
Shah also stated that Nepal engaged in diplomatic discussions with China and the United Kingdom regarding the border dispute with India.
In a statement issued later, the Nepali government said the PM's comments were connected to technical studies conducted in border areas where citizens of one country have been using or occupying land that technically falls within the territory of the other country.
"The matter mentioned by the Prime Minister in Parliament was primarily related to encroachment in the no-man's land area and cross-border occupation," the statement said.
Nepal's Foreign Ministry noted that due to the "Fixed Boundary Principle" adopted in river boundary areas, situations have emerged in some places where Nepali citizens cultivate or reside on land technically located on the Indian side, while Indian citizens use land falling within Nepal's territory.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who has family in both India and Nepal, I know how deep our cultural ties are. We share festivals, food, and even languages. But this boundary issue keeps popping up and creating unnecessary tension. The Modi government should take the lead and sit down with Nepal for a friendly resolution. After all, the "Roti-Beti" relationship is too precious to jeopardize over some barren mountain passes.
Honestly, I'm tired of these endless boundary disputes with our neighbors. Kalapani, Lipulek, Limpiyadhura – it's like a broken record. Meanwhile, China is quietly building roads and infrastructure in Nepal. India needs to focus on what really matters: strengthening connectivity, trade, and people-to-people ties. The FM's emphasis on energy and tourism cooperation is a step in the right direction. Let's move forward, not backward.
Interesting perspective from a Westerner living in India for work. The Nepal-India relationship has always fascinated me – it's incredibly complex, almost like a family feud between brothers. India's reconstruction aid post-2015 earthquake was commendable, and the new digital translation platform shows innovative thinking. But the boundary issue seems to be a recurring sore point. Both sides need to sit down with proper maps and resolve it once and for all, without dragging in China or others.
Bro, did anyone notice how the Nepal PM said "Nepal has also encroached on India's land"? That's a first! Usually it's the other way around. At least he's being honest. But both countries need to stop this blame game and work on a joint survey. The no-man's land issue is real - I've seen videos from the border where villagers farm on both sides without any clear demarcation. Time to modernize the boundary markers and focus on trade instead of territory.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.