Modi, Nepal PM speak on phone, first conversation since map controversy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepali counterpart KP Sharma Oli had a telephonic conversation Saturday, the day India celebrates its 74th Independence Day. The talks that lasted for 15 minutes were the first since Nepal released a new map of the country that showed Indian territories as its own.

During the talks, Nepal PM greeted Modi on India's Independence day and "conveyed congratulations for India’s recent election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council," an Indian readout by the Ministry of External Affairs said.

"The leaders expressed mutual solidarity in the context of the efforts being made to minimise the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in both countries. Prime Minister offered India’s continued support to Nepal in this regard," the readout added.

Civilizational and cultural links that India and Nepal share were also highlighted by PM Modi. No talks on border developments came up during the conversation.

Earlier in this year, both leaders had spoken on the COVID-19 pandemic.

The development comes two days before India and Nepal sit for talk on the New Delhi's development projects in the country. The 'scheduled oversight mechanism' will see India being represented by its envoy in Kathmandu Vinay Mohan Kwatra and Nepal being represented by Foreign Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi.

Indian government sources said the meet is "part of regular interaction between India and Nepal" and the mechanism was set up in 2016 to "review ongoing bilateral economic and development projects, and meets on a periodic basis."

India has been assisting Nepal in development of border infrastructure through up-gradation of 10 roads in the Terai area, developing cross-border rail links at Jogbani-Biratnagar, Jaynagar-Bardibas and establishment of Integrated Check Posts at Birgunj, Biratnagar, Bhairahawa, and Nepalgunj.

The total economic assistance earmarked under ‘Aid to Nepal’ budget in FY 2019-20 was Rs 1200 crore.