Nepal's PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda Meets PM Modi; Inaugurates UP's First Land Port, Renews Transit Treaty

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated, Uttar Pradesh's first land-port at Rupaidiha in Bahraich district in the presence of Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, and signed several key agreements, including the new transit agreement.

Nepali Prime Minister Prachanda landed in India on Wednesday (31 May) on a four-day state visit to India.

This is the first visit of the Nepali PM after he was elected to office on 26 December 2022, for the third time.

Prime Minister Modi and Prachanda held a meeting today on 1 June at Hyderabad House.

PM Modi after meeting Prime Minister Prachanda, said to the media, "we will continue to strive to take our relationship to Himalayan heights. And in this spirit, we will resolve all issues, be it boundary related or any other issue".

PM Modi also talked about the HIT formula that he gave on a visit to Nepal in 2014.

He said, “I remember, nine years ago, in 2014, within three months of taking office, I made my first visit to Nepal. At that time I had given a ‘hit’ formula for India-Nepal relations — Highways, I-ways, and Trans-ways".

“I had said that we will establish such a relationship between India and Nepal that our borders do not become barriers between us," PM Modi said.

India and Nepal also signed a revised India-Nepal transit treaty, which will make it easier for movement of goods between India and Nepal.

“Transit agreements have been signed today. We have established new rail links to increase physical connectivity. Long term power trade agreement has been established between India and Nepal today. This will give strength to the power sector of our countries," PM Modi added.

The Nepali PM Prachanda, on the other hand, said that, he and PM Modi carried out an “extensive review” of the progress in the ties and renewed their commitment to further strengthen relations and cooperation.

The Nepalese Prime Minister, further said, “the relations between Nepal and India are age-old and multi-faceted. This relationship stands on the solid foundation built on one hand by the rich tradition of civilisational, cultural and socio-economic linkage and on the other by the firm commitment of the two countries to the time-tested principle of sovereign equality, mutual respect, understanding and cooperation”.

The Nepalese PM added that the two sides discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation in diverse areas including trade, transit, investment, hydro-power, power trade, irrigation, power transmission line, expansion of petroleum pipeline, construction of integrated check post and land and air connectivity.

Both Prime Minister unveiled the e-plaque of Kurtha-Bijalpura Railway section and flagged off Railway cargo train from Bathnaha to Nepal Custom Yard, as well.

Both the Prime Minister's also virtually inaugrated UP's first land port at Rupaidiha in Bahraich district.

Spread over 115 acres, the Rupaidiha land port in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh has been developed with a budget of Rs 206 crore to promote cross-border trade with Nepal. 

The Rupaidiha border is a significant trade route, with annual trade worth Rs 8,500 crore between India and Nepal. Exports account for 95 per cent of the trade value, making the facility's development an important move.

With the inaugration of the port, the volume of trade is expected to go up significantly as it is estimated that the number of trucks passing through the land port will increase to at least 300 daily from the current 200.