Kathmandu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reached Nepal on a two-day official trip. It will be the first bilateral visit by a Prime Minister to Kathmandu in 17 years and both countries could possibly make big-ticket announcements.
Modi will hold bilateral talks with his Nepalese counterpart Sushil Koirala later in the day.
Modi was received by Koirala and members of the Council of Ministers, other dignitaries at the airport. Koirala broke the protocol by personally receiving his Indian counterpart and it also highlighted the importance Nepal attached to the visit.
Nepali army gave Modi a guard of honour and a 19-gun salute as he arrived in Kathmandu.
Modi may face some roadblocks in his plan to expand economic ties, as some members of the ruling CPN-UML party are opposed to a Power Sharing Agreement. If the agreement is not signed today, it may be formalised in the next 45 days.
A Treaty for a 900 Mega watt Hyderopower project on the Karnali river is unlikely to be signed.
According to sources, Modi has taken a lean team to Nepal with less than 50 people accompanying him and no minister being a part of the delegation. There has been almost a 50 per cent reduction in comparison to former prime minister Manmohan Singh's last trip to Myanmar where 98 people accompanied him.
There will be a lot of expectations from such a high-profile visit.
Krishna Dhakal, Acting Ambassador of Nepal to India, said, "PM Modi visit is historic in many ways. It will enhance political engagements and re-energise India-Nepal ties and strengthen economic cooperation."
The major areas of cooperation include security cooperation across the open border, trade and investment, hydropower and infrastructure. Nepal is certainly watching closely for announcements of a push in long-delayed projects in some of those areas.
Modi will also visit the famous Pashupatinath temple on Monday, before returning.####
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