India promises 764 vehicles and more for Nepal polls

India has promised to provide full support to Nepal for the forthcoming polls due in November.

Updated on: Jul 10, 2013, 24:16:31 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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India has promised to provide full support to Nepal for the forthcoming polls due in November.

As an initial gesture, India agreed to donate 764 vehicles costing nearly Rs 50 crore as per two letters of exchange signed during a day-long visit by external affairs minister Salman Khurshid on Tuesday.

“This is a first step that we have taken. We want to give every possible support so that this election doesn’t find any shortcoming,” said Khurshid at a press conference.

India had provided 500 vehicles for the previous constituent assembly elections in 2008 and for the coming polls Nepal government had sought 1000 vehicles from the southern neighbor.

“We all now wish well to the people of Nepal for the forthcoming election which is the next important step in consolidating democracy,” he told reporters earlier at the Tribhuwan International Airport.

He hoped the election would be free and fair and reiterated India’s commitment to working with the people of Nepal for a democratic, stable, peaceful and prosperous country.

Khurshid who is on a goodwill visit on invitation of Nepal’s foreign minister Madhav Prasad Ghimire also held talks with his counterpart on all aspects of bilateral relations between both neighbours.

“The meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere and India assured all support for successful completion of the election,” said Nepal foreign ministry spokesperson Arjun Bahadur Thapa.

Talks dealt with logistics for the election, water resources, electricity supply and trade and defence cooperation. The leaders also reviewed progress of bilateral development projects.

The external affairs minister also met president Ram Baran Yadav, chairman of interim government Khil Raj Regmi and leaders of major political parties before flying back to New Delhi in the evening.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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