KATHMANDU, April 5: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli held a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Sixth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit in Bangkok on Friday.
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the two leaders discussed strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as development partnership, energy, connectivity, and people-to-people relations.
MEA in a brief statement stated that the two leaders reviewed the unique and close relationship between India and Nepal. “They expressed satisfaction at the progress in enhancing physical and digital connectivity, people-to-people linkages, and in the domain of energy. They agreed to continue working towards further deepening the multifaceted partnership between our two countries and peoples,” said the statement.
BIMSTEC Meet concludes
The MEA statement further said that Nepal is a priority partner of India under its Neighbourhood First Policy. “India looks forward to adding even greater momentum to its bilateral ties with Nepal,” MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote on X following the meeting.
Separately, Prime Minister Modi on X said he had a productive meeting with PM Oli in Bangkok. “India attaches immense priority to relations with Nepal. We discussed different aspects of India-Nepal friendship, especially in sectors like energy, connectivity, culture and digital technology,” he wrote. “We also talked about some of the key positive outcomes from this year’s BIMSTEC Summit, especially in areas of disaster management and maritime transport.”
Prime Minister Oli described the interaction as “warm and heartfelt,” calling the discussions “highly meaningful and constructive.” In a post on X, he expressed appreciation for what he called a “cordial exchange” with his Indian counterpart. “ [ I ] Had a warm and heartfelt meeting with my dear friend, Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji. Our discussions were highly meaningful and constructive. I express my appreciation over this cordial exchange,” he wrote on X.
PM Oli and Modi had a one-on-one meeting for more than 45 minutes. The meeting between the two prime ministers has been watched with keen interest in Kathmandu as many would hope that the meeting could pave the way for the visit of Prime Minister Oli to India. New Delhi has yet to extend an official invitation to Prime Minister Oli since he assumed office last July. Their previous encounter during the 79th UN General Assembly in New York was reportedly strained
Earlier on Friday, BIMSTEC Secretary General Indra Mani Pandey paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Oli. Addressing the Sixth BIMSTEC Summit, Prime Minister Oli urged member states to deepen regional cooperation to transform the Bay of Bengal region into a “prosperous, resilient and open” hub, emphasizing the need to navigate global uncertainties and capitalize on emerging opportunities.
On Thursday, Oli held separate bilateral meetings with several BIMSTEC leaders, including Sri Lankan counterpart Harini Amarasuriya, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Myanmar’s Prime Minister Min Aung Hlaing. Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to return home on Saturday.
