‘Ties unparalleled’: PM Modi ahead of his Nepal visit

During his visit, Modi is set to meet Nepali counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba for bilateral talks.

Ahead of his visit to Lumbini in Nepal on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, Prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said India's ties with the neighbouring country are “unparalleled”. In a statement, Modi said he will be visiting Nepal on Monday at the invitation of his counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba.

PM Modi with Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who had visited Delhi last month.

During his visit, Modi is set to meet Nepali counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba for bilateral talks. This will be Modi's fifth visit to Nepal since 2014.

“I look forward to offering prayers at the Mayadevi Temple on the auspicious occasion of Buddha Jayanti. I am honoured to follow in the footsteps of millions of Indians to pay reverence at the sacred site of Lord Buddha's birth,” the statement read.

The statement further read, “Apart from visiting the holy Mayadevi Temple, I will be participating in “Shilanyas” ceremony of the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage in the Lumbini Monastic Zone. I will also be attending celebrations to mark the occasion of Buddha Jayanti organised by the Government of Nepal.”

Mentioning the “productive discussions” during the Nepal PM's visit to India last month, Modi's statement said, “I also look forward to meeting Prime Minister Deuba again. We will continue to build on our shared understanding to expand cooperation in multiple areas, including in hydropower, development and connectivity.”

On India's ties with Nepal, Modi's statement said the civilizational and people-to-people contacts between India and Nepal form the enduring edifice of "our close relationship".

His visit is “intended to celebrate and further deepen these time-honoured linkages that have been fostered through centuries and recorded in our long history of inter-mingling.”

Meanwhile, grand preparations are in full swing in Lumbini. Reportedly, hoardings have been put up all along the highway leading to Lumbini - hailing Indo-Nepal relations.