Dahal holding one-on-one with Modi today

Published On: September 16, 2016 02:00 AM NPT By: Republica  | @RepublicaNepal


KATHMADNU, Sept 16: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who reached New Delhi on Thursday for his four-day state visit, is scheduled to hold a one-on-one meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Friday.

Immediately after reaching the Indian capital city, Dahal started meetings with Indian leaders from various political parties. 

It is Dahal's first foreign trip since he became prime minister for the second time on August 3.  
 
Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj reached the Indira Gandhi International Airport to welcome Dahal. Then, prime minister held a brief meeting with Swaraj at the VVIP lounge at the airport. 

Following the meeting, Prime Minister Dahal and his delegation reached the Nepali embassy in New Delhi to attend a reception hosted by the embassy. Before the reception, Dahal met with some Indian leaders including Communist Party of India General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and Nationalist Congress Party General Secretary DP Tripathi. 

Prime Minister Dahal, who is accompanied by his spouse Sita, is staying at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. He is in state visit to India at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Modi. Minister for Foreign Affairs Prakash Sharan Mahat and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Ramesh Lekhak are also in the prime minister's delegation.  

On Friday, Prime Minister Dahal will attend a ceremonial reception to be hosted by the Indian government and inspect a Guard of Honor at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. Then, he will pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. After that, he will begin his main bilateral meetings of the visit. He will also call on Indian President Pranab Mukherjee Friday. 

Prime Minister Dahal has maintained that his visit will focus on developing mutual trust between the two countries and effectively implementing the project agreements reached in the past. 

At the meeting with Indian prime minister and other ministers, Prime Minister Dahal is scheduled to hold discussions on expediting the construction of Postal Highway [Hulaki Rajmarga], implementing the bilateral Power Trade Agreement, and Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project, among other issues. 

Dahal, during a briefing to parliament on Wednesday, had said that a letter of exchange will be inked regarding amendment to the existing railway service-related agreement and for the operation of a railway from Visakhapatnam to Nepali checkpoints, as part of the implemention of past agreements. 

Likewise, Indian Minister for External Affairs and some senior cabinet members of the government of India are also scheduled to call on Prime Minister Dahal on Friday. On Saturday morning, Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to call on Prime Minister Dahal.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Dahal and his delegation are scheduled to inspect Nathpa Jhakri Hydropower Project in Himachal Pradesh and visit Patanjali Yogpeeth and its manufacturing units in Haridwar.

Similarly, Prime Minister Dahal is also going to interact with intellectual circle and business community in New Delhi as well as with Nepali community in India. 

Dahal will return home on September 18. 


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