Nepal PM thanks PM Modi for providing COVID vaccine & post-quake aid during first meeting

During their first meeting on the sidelines of the COP26, Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba thanked PM Narendra Modi for providing COVID-19 vaccines in a timely manner to his nation. Addressing a special briefing on PM Modi’s Glasgow visit, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla informed that Deuba also thanked PM Modi for assistance that India had provided Nepal in post-earthquake relief for the construction houses, schools and several cultural sites. Shringla also said that Deuba has invited PM Modi to visit Nepal at his earliest convenience. 

“The Prime Minister of Nepal started by thanking PM for the assistance that India had provided Nepal in post-earthquake relief -- the construction of 50,000 houses in the Gorkha district. A number of schools and hospitals and a number of cultural sites were restored, which were badly affected by the earthquake. He also spoke about the cross border oil pipeline which connects part of India and Nepal and the utility of the pipeline,” Shringla said. 

“He (Deuba) also thanked the Prime Minister for providing vaccine in a timely manner to Nepal including the one million does that has just been supplied. He also invited PM Modi to visit Nepal at his earliest convenience," the Foreign Secretary added.

PM Modi has ‘productive discussion’ with Nepalese counterpart 

PM Modi and his Nepalese counterpart met on the sidelines of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the two leaders noted the “excellent cooperation” between both nations during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly through the supply of vaccines and medical equipment from India to Nepal. This was the first meeting of PM Modi with Nepal PM Deuba after the telephone conversation between them in July this year, the MEA informed. It also said that the two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation including in the context of ongoing efforts against the pandemic. 

Separately, while taking to Twitter, PM Modi informed that he had a “productive discussion” with Deuba on multiple aspects of the India-Nepal friendship. PM Modi said, “Subjects relating to fighting the global pandemic and furthering sustainable development are key parts of our bilateral friendship”. Responding to PM Modi’s tweet, Deuba said that he is positive that their efforts will now show great results in Nepal in controlling COVID-19 as well as climate change. 

(Image: Twitter)

(With ANI inputs)