Nepal PM Oli's upcoming India visit key to boosting bilateral trust: Experts

Kathmandu, Aug 3 (PTI) Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's upcoming visit to India is expected to be "instrumental" in creating an atmosphere of trust between the two countries, foreign relations experts and diplomats said on Sunday.

Speaking at an interaction programme on “Nepal–India relations in the context of upcoming visit of Prime Minister Oli to India,” former diplomat and foreign affairs expert Dr Shambhu Simkhada noted that Nepal and India enjoy cordial relations and deep friendly ties.

“As I have learnt that Prime Minister Oli is embarking on a visit to the southern neighbour, the visit should be instrumental in creating an atmosphere of trust between the two countries,” he said.

During Oli's visit, efforts should be made to resolve issues, if any, between the two nations through high-level political dialogue, Simkhada said.

At the event, foreign relations expert Mohan Lohani said, “India is moving ahead in the areas of economic prosperity, development and technological advancement. Nepal should try to benefit from the progress made by our southern neighbour.” Another foreign policy expert Nischal Nath Pandey advised PM Oli to use the land route during his visit, stressing that it would give him the opportunity to learn about the "huge progress" made by India in various fields, including road transport.

During the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has made remarkable progress in development and road connectivity, and Nepal should learn from the experiences gained by India, Pandey said.

Prime Minister Oli is embarking on a two-day official visit to India in mid-September, according to Foreign Ministry officials. However, the date and the programmes of the visit are yet to be announced officially.

Oli, the chairperson of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) – popular as the CPN-UML – had assumed the office of prime minister for the fourth time last July.

He had chosen to visit China for his maiden foreign visit, breaking the tradition of visiting India as the first destination after assuming the post of prime minister. PTI SBP GRS GRS GRS