Nepal occupies special place in our hearts, says FS Harsh V Shringla

India's foreign secretary Harsh Shringla on Friday said Nepal holds a very special place in everybody's hearts. He said this as he inaugurated India-built projects during his visit to Kathmandu.

Speaking at the inauguration of three schools in Gorkha district, he said, "Nepal occupies a special place in our hearts. We have been glad to able to assist in your reconstruction. Both India and Nepal have young populations, we value education. A good education is the best investment for the future and our people."

India is building 50,000 houses in the Gorkha and Nuwakot districts of Nepal, of which 46,000 have been built. Many houses in this area were damaged due to the 2015 Nepal earthquake.

Shringla also remotely inaugurated an India-funded project to renovate the Tashop (Tare) Gompa monastery in Manang District.

Earlier speaking at an event, Shringla highlighted the common "civilisational heritage, culture and customs" and "people-to-people linkages are so strong and so powerful that quite frankly we in government only complement these".

He added "Nepal is fundamental to our 'Neighbourhood First' approach" and "India’s development and modernisation are incomplete and intrinsically and symbiotically linked to the development and modernisation of neighbouring countries such as Nepal."

On day one of his visit, Shringla had met the political leadership of the country including Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. COVID cooperation, development projects, and boundary issues were discussed during the meeting. 

This is the third high-level visit from India to Nepal amidst the pandemic.