Kathmandu, June 3 (IANS) President of Nepal's ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Rabi Lamichhane, on Wednesday said Nepal and India could build a partnership defined by progress and mutual trust by focusing on shared civilisational bonds, digital corridors, and seamless connectivity.
Following the hour-long meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, Lamichhane, who is on a five-day tour of the southern neighbour starting June 1, wrote on X that the RSP looks forward to translating these possibilities into reality for the people of Nepal and India for their shared prosperity.
“I share your vision for a future where Nepal and India transcend past constraints to embrace a new era of development diplomacy, ” he said after meeting PM Modi.
Lamichhane, who leads the largest party in Nepal’s House of Representatives, is on an India tour at the invitation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Nitin Nabin. Besides Nabin, he has met top Indian leaders from both the government and the BJP.
Following his meeting with PM Modi on Wednesday, the Nepali leader wrote on X: "I welcome and fully share his desire to work closely together for a shared and prosperous future."
PM Modi highlighted that Nepal is a priority partner under India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, and New Delhi looks forward to collaborating with the new government to elevate the special and multifaceted relationship between two countries to greater heights.
At a time when the proposed visit of Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah to India remains uncertain, the ruling RSP president visited the southern neighbour as the BJP sought to establish party-to-party relations with Nepal’s newly emerged largest party.
Lamichhane also received a grand welcome in India, underscoring the importance the ruling BJP has attached to his visit, with several top BJP leaders and government ministers holding meetings with him.
On Tuesday, Lamichhane held meetings with Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar, and BJP chief Nabin, among other BJP leaders.
During those meetings, both sides highlighted the deep-rooted civilisational relations and cultural bonds, while stressing development partnership and people-to-people ties.
Prem Raj Khanal, an Assistant Professor at the Central Department of International Relations and Diplomacy at Tribhuvan University, told IANS that Lamichhane's visit to New Delhi was important in establishing leader-to-leader personal relations, which could be crucial in unlocking some of the pressing issues in bilateral relations.
“This visit should now usher in engagement between the two sides to address pending issues, including border disputes, ” he said.