Nepal to implement agreements made during PM Oli's India visit

Nepal has started the preparatory tasks to concretise three agreements that were made during Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli's visit to India last month.

With his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi stepping Nepal next month for the third time, preparations to bring the agreement into action has started, The Kantipur reported, quoting sources.

"The three different issues that are said to be 'game-changing' are being prepared to be concretised in Kathmandu, the High Source inside Nepal's foreign ministry informed.

In the draft agreement, the time period of its implementation is also stated, the Kantipur reported.

Oli who was on a three-day visit to India early this month signed a number of agreements which was termed as 'game changing' by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

During the visit, co-operation over connectivity and the agriculture sector were agreed upon.

The co-operation over the railway connectivity between Raxaul of India and Kathmandu, inland water connectivity and the agriculture was also agreed. The officials from both the nations are working over the issues.

Meanwhile, Nepal is looking forward to the agreement to study the railway connectivity with other countries.

The Nepal government is making preparations over the proposal to link the East-West railway to the International Railway Link via Siliguri in West Bengal to Bangladesh. But, the cabinet of Nepal shall make the decision to agree over.

As per the source quoted by the esteemed newspaper, Nepal is keen to link Raxaul directly to Kathmandu using electronic rail. As per the quote, an unidentified official said that the agreement during Prime Minister Modi's upcoming visit to Nepal will have a timeframe for the completion.

The source further added that the study over the rail link will be completed within a year.

As per the information reported by the Kantipur, the Nepal government is planning to start the study over the rail link between New Jalpaiguri- Kakarbhitta and Nautanawa-Bhairahawa and Nepalgunj Road (India) and- Nepalgunj (Nepal).

Nepal's northern neighbour, China has already committed to building railway lines connecting between the two countries. However, Nepal is yet to formulate its agreement.

In addition, Nepal and India are also expected to hold talks over the extension of the waterways as per which Nepal is making preparations to insist India to give way to bring in containers up to Patna in Bihar, where India is building the inland waterway.

Along with India, Nepal is making preparation to make an agreement over the agriculture research and the research over compost manures.

The proposed "Ramayana Circuit" by India is also being discussed over, the Kantipur reported, citing the source.

In addition, the Arun-III and the Police Academy in Panauti is said to be inaugurated.