KP Oli wishes PM Modi on New Year, invites him to visit Nepal

Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli has greeted Narendra Modi on New Year on January 1. Oli has expressed confidence that the year 2020 will prove to be successful in further elevating bilateral ties between the countries. Oli also extended an invitation to Modi to visit Nepal over a telephonic conversation. The Nepali PM conveyed the message over his twitter handle.

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India-Nepal Bilateral ties

In 2019, India's relations with Nepal continued to grow with high-level bilateral visits and increased energy collaboration, including the inauguration of the first-ever cross-border petroleum pipeline in South Asia. In February, the Nepal-India Joint Secretary-level meeting was held in Pokhara during which the top officials from both sides reviewed the bilateral trade and transit treaty. Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and PM Oli held talks on a wide range of issues, including railways and waterway projects in March. 
The two sides also reviewed the progress of post-earthquake reconstruction of projects in housing, education, health and cultural heritage sectors after which India has pledged the assistance of Rs 450 billion. 

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Oli last visited India when Modi was re-elected and invited Modi to Nepal. The leaders jointly inaugurated the 69-km long Motihari-Amlekhjung oil pipeline through video conference in September. EAM S Jaishanker visited Nepal to attend the fifth meeting of Nepal-India Joint Commission which reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations with special focus on the areas of connectivity, economic partnership, trade, transit, power and water resources. Nepal issued three commemorative coins marking the 550th birth anniversary of the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak, who visited Kathmandu five hundred years ago.
Nepal stood with India in its fight against terrorism as it strongly condemned the February terrorist attack in Pulwama. 

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Disputes over Kalapani

Besides the amicability, Nepal raised objections to India's updated political map showing Kalapani and Lipulek areas under its territory, claiming that these areas lie within the Nepalese territory. Nepal’s ambassador to India Nilambar Acharya claimed the same. Yet the Nepal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has claimed that the age-old bilateral ties between Nepal and India have not deteriorated due to the border dispute.

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(With inputs from agencies)