Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava paid a courtesy call on Speaker of the House of Representatives Dol Prasad Aryal on Thursday.
During the meeting, Speaker Aryal noted that Nepal's government, formed with a strong public mandate, had completed its first 100 days in office. He also expressed gratitude to the Government of India for its significant logistical support during Nepal's recent elections, according to the speaker's secretariat.
Aryal said that Nepal-India relations are rooted in shared civilization, geographical proximity, and cultural and social ties. He noted that bilateral relations have been further strengthened through various bilateral mechanisms in areas such as trade, security, civil aviation, water resources, and connectivity. He added that exchanges of high-level visits have made relations between the two countries even stronger.
Stating that expanding connectivity through civil aviation, rail, and bus services would further strengthen ties between the two countries, he expressed hope for additional flight, rail, and bus routes in the future.
Speaker Aryal informed the ambassador that he has invited Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to visit Nepal and stated that he is ready to welcome him at a mutually convenient time.
He also said that Nepal has always held the Indian Parliament in high regard as a strong guardian of democracy and noting that it has played an important role in protecting democratic values and principles throughout its glorious history.
Speaker Aryal informed the ambassador that a 10-member Nepal-India Parliamentary Friendship Group, led by Bipin Acharya, was established after the formation of the new House of Representatives. He expressed confidence that the group would give new momentum to inter-parliamentary cooperation.
Aryal said that parliamentary diplomacy would play a vital role in further strengthening Nepal-India relations by promoting mutual understanding, exchange of experiences, and respect for each other's priorities and aspirations among lawmakers of the two countries.
He also praised India's adoption of digital parliamentary practices, including the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA), to improve the efficiency, transparency, and accessibility of parliamentary procedures. He expressed hope for knowledge exchange on India’s digital parliamentary system, paperless operations, and technology-friendly legislative practices.
According to his secretariat, Aryal emphasized that Nepal has always given high priority to its relations with India and acknowledged the important role of India’s continued goodwill and support in Nepal’s development efforts.
He also expressed confidence that Nepal and India would continue working together for shared peace, prosperity, and progress through mutual cooperation and partnership.
During the meeting, Ambassador Srivastava said Speaker Om Birla is interested in visiting Nepal. He also invited Speaker Aryal and Nepali lawmakers to visit India to study and observe the country's parliamentary practices.
The ambassador said that parliamentary diplomacy and high-level political dialogue would play an important role in elevating Nepal-India relations and reaffirmed India's commitment to continued cooperation in trade, connectivity, energy, education, and people-to-people ties.
