India-Nepal open borders should not be misused by unwanted elements: Modi

New Delhi, April 2

The open borders of India and Nepal should not be misused by unwanted elements, said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday during his statement after delegation level meeting with Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Both the leaders also discussed various aspects of cooperation, reviewed the progress of various projects and also discussed the blueprint for the future.

"Today we also discussed that the open borders of India and Nepal should not be misused by unwanted elements. We also stressed on maintaining close cooperation between our defence and security institutions. I am sure that our talks today will go a long way in setting ambitious goals for the future of India-Nepal relations," Modi said.

In 2020, India and Nepal had a strained bilateral relationship over border row between the two countries. China which already had made aggression towards India at the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh region was making all efforts to amplify the row between India and Nepal relations.

Talking about power sector, Modi said that both the countries must reap the benefits of the opportunities for cooperation in the power sector.

He said that Nepal Prime Minister is an old friend of India.

"As the Prime Minister, this is his fifth visit to India. He has played an important role in developing relations and friendship between India and Nepal," said Modi adding that such an example can't be seen anywhere else in the world.

Modi also stated that India has been a firm companion in Nepal's journey of peace, prosperity and development, it will always be.

"Our Joint Vision Statement on Power Cooperation will prove to be the blueprint of cooperation, in the future," said Modi adding that both the leaders have expressed agreement on more participation of Indian companies in Nepal's hydropower development projects.

"It is a matter of happiness that Nepal is exporting its surplus power to India. This will make positive contributions to the economic development of Nepal," he said.

Lauding the launch of the RuPay card in Nepal, Modi said it will add a new chapter to our financial connectivity.

Deuba in his address said, "I truly admire your love and affection for Nepal and the Nepali people and my visit today will further enforce these sentiments."

He appreciated India's effective management for battling Covid-19 and received first vaccine aid from India as well as medicines, medical equipment and logistics to combat the pandemic.

"As Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned, we had friendly talks and fruitful discussions on various aspects of India-Nepal relations. We shared our perspectives on further strengthening our friendly ties," Deuba said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepal counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba on Saturday jointly inaugurated cross-border passenger train services, RuPay payment system in Nepal and signed several Memorandums of Understanding.