India can be 'reliable partner' for Nepal's development, says ex-PM Madhav

India can be a "reliable partner" for Nepal's development and prosperity, former prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said on Sunday, as he congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government for conducting successful elections in the world's largest democracy.

Addressing an event with the theme Indo-Nepal Friendship and Economic Cooperation here, Madhav Nepal also said that India and Nepal should stand together to fight against the effects of climate change.

India can be a reliable partner for Nepal's development and prosperity, said Madhav Nepal, the chairman of CPN-Unified Socialist Party, which is part of the ruling coalition.

He said that Nepal can provide a solution of green energy to India through its abundant hydropower resources.

Addressing the event, Minister for Tourism and Culture Hit Bahadur Tamang said that Nepal cannot reduce its trade deficit only by exporting hydroelectricity to India and Bangladesh and for that, we need to promote tourism as well."

Pilgrimage tourism is the major attraction to bring in a large number of Indian tourists in Nepal," he said.

The minister added that Nepal can attract Indian visitors residing in hot areas to the cooler hill stations of the Himalayan nation during summer.

K V Rajan, former ambassador of India to Nepal, said the relations between the two countries are unique in the world as it is guided by people-to-people contact.

He termed his five-year tenure from 1995 to 2000 as Indian envoy to Nepal as the golden period in bilateral relations and said mutual respect, cooperation, understanding and trust should be the basis for friendship between the two neighbours.

"Civil society can play an important role, and people-to-people contact is important in tying the bond of friendship, he said.