New Delhi: India and Nepal today reviewed their overall bilateral ties including in areas of connectivity and trade during talks between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Nepalese Deputy Prime Minister Kamal Thapa.
In the meeting, Swaraj conveyed to Thapa that development and stability in Nepal were in India’s interest.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said bilateral mechanisms including political exchanges, connectivity and trade were reviewed in the meeting.
“The External Affairs Minister reaffirmed India’s interest in development and stability in Nepal,” he said.
Thapa, also Nepal’s Foreign Minister, is here primarily to attend the convocation of South Asian university, a SAARC project which came into being in 2010. He arrived here today and will leave for Nepal on Sunday.
Separately India and Nepal discussed issues relating security at the 12th meeting of their Bilateral Consultative Group (BCG) on security yesterday.
The Indian delegation was led by Abhay Thakur, Joint Secretary (North), Ministry of External Affairs while the Nepalese delegation was led by Prakash Kumar Suvedi, Joint Secretary (South Asia), Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The delegations on both sides comprised officials from the respective ministries of Defence as well as from several Directorates/Departments of the Indian and the Nepal armies.
The programme of the visiting Nepalese delegation included a courtesy call on the Chief of Army Staff Dalbir Suhag.
“The BCG discussions covered issues relating to mutual security concerns as well as defence and training requirements, exchange of experts/instructors, cooperation in disaster management, and the 10th Surya Kiran Joint Military Exercises at battalion level to be held in Nepal in October-November 2016,” the MEA said.