Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to open “a new chapter in India-Nepal relations ... hoping to connect lives across our open borders seamlessly,” he said in a statement before leaving for Kathmandu on Sunday morning.
Mr. Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to pay a bilateral visit to Kathmandu in 17 years. The visit is significant, given he will return to Kathmandu later this year for the SAARC Summit. In his statement, Mr. Modi outlined the areas he hoped to forge agreements on: “trade and investment, hydropower, agriculture, environment, tourism, education, culture and sports.”
The two sides are expected to announce a power trading agreement, which will lead to the signing of a 900-MW hydropower agreement during the visit.
