Nepal-India defence cooperation interdependent: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that defence cooperation between India and Nepal is important to keep borders of the two countries secure as New Delhi and Kathmandu signed eight memoranda of understanding (MoUs), including four on post-earthquake reconstruction.

"Cooperation in defence and security is of high priority for us," Modi said while jointly addressing the media with visiting Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba following delegation-level talks here.

"Our defence interests are interdependent and linked to each other," he said.

He said that to keep the open border between the two countries secure and for the security of the people on both sides, cooperation between the defence agencies of the two countries was very important.

Modi's comments came even as Indian and Chinese troops are in a standoff situation along the Sikkim sector of the international border.

He also congratulated Deuba for ensuring the completion of two phases of the country's local elections successfully.

Stressing on cooperation in the hydropower sector, he said that both sides agreed to increase efforts to complete ongoing projects within the given timeframe.

--IANS

ab/vm