India-Nepal agree to establish sister-city relations between Lumbini and Kushinagar; check details of MoUs signed today

Kathmandu: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepali counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba held bilateral talks in Lumbini, where the former is on a day-long visit to mark the occasion of Buddha Purnima. The two Prime Ministers recalled their fruitful discussions during the Deuba`s official visit to India on April 1-3, and also held a discussion on a broad overview of Nepal-India cooperation and the matters of mutual interests with a view to further enhancing the close and cordial ties between the two countries.

The two sides also agreed in principle to establish the sister city relations between Lumbini and Kushinagar and the necessary process will be taken in due course through appropriate local authorities, the Ministry added.

After the talks, six Memorandum of Understandings were signed between the two sides, said an IANS report.

Nepal, India sign 6 MoUs during PM Modi's Lumbini visit

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kathmandu announced the signing of the pacts after bilateral talks between PM Modi and his Nepali counterpart, Sher Bahadur Deuba.

The two sides also agreed in principle to establish the sister city relations between Lumbini and Kushinagar. The necessary process will be taken in due course through appropriate local authorities, the Ministry added.

After the meeting, Deuba hosted a luncheon in honour of the Indian delegation.

Earlier in the day, Modi and Deuba jointly laid the foundation of the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage in Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha. Shortly after his arrival, the Indian leader offered prayers at the famous Maya Devi temple. 

India, Nepal sign pacts for joint IIT-Madras, Kathmandu University Master's degree

India and Nepal signed a slew of agreements, including cooperation among the higher educational institutions of the two countries and the state power authorities. The list of agreements signed between the two countries included the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Lumbini Buddhist University for the establishment of Dr. Ambedkar Chair for Buddhist Studies. 

An MoU was signed between ICCR and CNAS, Tribhuvan University on the establishment of the ICCR Chair of Indian Studies. Another MoU was inked between Indian ICCR and Kathmandu University (KU) on the establishment of the ICCR Chair of Indian Studies.

Other agreements included "MoU between Kathmandu University (KU), Nepal and Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M), India and also between Kathmandu University (KU), Nepal and Indian Institute of Technology (IITM), India for a joint degree program at Master`s level."An agreement between the Indian public sector undertaking SJVN Ltd and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) for the development and implementation of the Arun 4 hydro-project was also signed.

PM Modi arrived in Lumbini this morning on an official visit. On arrival at Lumbini, Prime Minister Modi was received by the Nepal PM and his spouse Arzu Deuba. Both the leaders participated in the foundation stone laying ceremony for the construction of a Centre of Buddhist Culture and Heritage in Lumbini, on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti. They also visited the Maya Devi Temple. 

It is Prime Minister Modi's fifth visit to Nepal since 2014. Modi and his entourage arrived here on a special Indian Air Force helicopter from Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh.

On Friday, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said that Modi's talks with Deuba will have a comprehensive agenda to further expand cooperation. 

Notably, land-locked Nepal relies heavily on India for the transportation of goods and services. Nepal's access to the sea is through India, and it imports a predominant proportion of its requirements from and through India. 

The India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1950 forms the bedrock of the special relations between the two countries. 

(With Inputs from Agencies)