India ready to extend all possible support to Nepal: Mukherjee

Indian President arrives in Kathmandu

Kathmandu, Nov. 2

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday said that India remained ready to extend all possible support in accordance with the requirements of the people and Government of Nepal.

"India has an abiding interest in the socio-economic development of Nepal. As Nepal's closest neighbour, India takes pride in the achievements of the people of Nepal and in the success of her developmental partnership with Nepal," the Indian President said at the state banquet hosted in his honour by Nepal's President Bidya Devi Bhandari.

Saying that the rapid economic transformation taking place in India presented unprecedented opportunities for the people of Nepal, President Mukherjee invited the Nepalese people to be a part of India's growth story.

He emphasised on the development of priority areas in which both the countries had a common interest - trade, mutual investment, defense and security, agriculture, hydro-power, infrastructure development and connectivity projects.

According to President Mukherjee, the high-level exchanges between Nepal and India were a hallmark of the bilateral relationship between the two neighbours.

"They demonstrate the high level of confidence that we have in each other and our commitment to leverage our resources and expertise for the progress of our peoples."

He termed terrorism as the most serious threat to regional peace and security and said the international community needed to work together.

He also used the occasion to extend an invitation to President Bhandari to visit India.

Earlier, in her welcome speech, President Bhandari said that the visit of the Indian President would give new momentum to the close bilateral ties between the two nations as it had come after a regular exchange of visits by the prime ministers of the two countries in the last two years.

She said promotion of mutual understanding and trust among nations would make solid contribution for the development of the region at a faster pace.

"As poverty alleviation is the crying need of the region, we should enhance peace, stability and development, utilise the available resources and create employment opportunities for people as a matter of priority," she remarked.

President Bhandari took the opportunity to inform the Indian delegation that the focus of the Constitution of Nepal promulgated last year was to safeguard and consolidate the democratic gains that the people had made in recent times.

"Our emphasis is now on the execution of the constitution, post-earthquake reconstruction, and social and economic transformation to achieve national prosperity," she said.

After 18 years

President Mukherjee arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday on a three-day state visit at the invitation of his Nepalese counterpart Bhandari.

The visit by an Indian President to Nepal is taking place after 18 years following KR Narayanan's visit in 1998.

President Bhandari welcomed the Indian President at the VVIP Hall at the Tribhuvan International Airport. President Mukherjee arrived here on a special plane of the Indian Air Force.

 Vice-president Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat were also present to receive the 12^th Indian President, who is leading a 36-member delegation.

In the afternoon, President Bhandari met Mukherjee at Sheetal Niwas.

According to a press statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the meeting, the two presidents exchanged views on various aspects of Nepal-India relations.

"The President of India congratulated the President of Nepal, Nepali people and the Constituent Assembly for launching the Constitution last year and its subsequent amendment," read the statement.

Vice President Pun paid a courtesy call on President Mukherjee where he underscored the need of enhanced cooperation between the two countries in the areas of hydropower, connectivity and waterways.

Likewise, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal paid a courtesy call on Mukherjee today. During the meeting, he thanked the Indian President, government and people for their goodwill and support to Nepal's peace process as well as development efforts.