Foreign Secy Shringla meets Nepal PM Oli & President Bidya Devi, agree to advance ties

India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla on Thursday, November 26 called on the Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari during his two-day visit to the Everest country. Shringla also met the Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at the latter's residence, where he conveyed greetings of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed ways to further improve the bilateral relations between India and Nepal. 

Read: India To Prioritise Neighbours Like Nepal To Give COVID Vaccine: Foreign Secy Shringla

Read: Foreign Secretary Shringla Arrives In Nepal On 2-day Official Visit Amid Strained Ties

The Foreign Secretary, on his maiden visit to Nepal, started the trip by meeting his Nepali counterpart Bharat Raj Paudyel, who had come to the Kathmandu airport to receive the Indian diplomat. Shringla also met with Nepali Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali earlier on Thursday. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Shringla gifted 2,000 vials of Remdesivir to Pradeep Gyawali, a drug that is being used widely used in the treatment of severe COVID-19 patients. 

After meeting with Paudyel, Shringla said that he had a very productive discussion with his Nepalese counterpart on issues of mutual concern. Shringla also said that the two diplomats discussed ways to forge stronger bilateral ties between India and Nepal. Shringla also said that India would priorities "neighbours like Nepal" to make affordable COVID-19 vaccines accessible when available. 

Read: Foreign Secretary Shringla To Arrive In Nepal On Maiden Visit On Thursday

India-Nepal relations

India and Nepal, who otherwise share a strong bilateral relationship, witnessed the straining of ties after Kathmandu recently unveiled a new political map that claimed Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh as integral part of their territory. India strongly objected to the move by Oli's government. After the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world, Nepal had blamed India for spreading the disease in its territories without citing any evidence, which again had soured the relationship between the two-historically and traditionally connected countries. 

Read: Foreign Secretary Shringla To Visit Nepal On Nov 26-27 To Discuss 'areas Of Cooperation'

(Image Credit: ANI)