Krishna describes Nepal visit as ‘mission accomplished’

Wrapping up a hectic three-day visit to Nepal, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna today termed his first visit to the Himalayan nation after assuming charge as a mission that has been accomplished.

Updated on: Jan 17, 2010, 16:41:57 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Wrapping up a hectic three-day visit to Nepal, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna on Sunday termed his first visit to the Himalayan nation after assuming charge as a mission that has been accomplished.

Krishna’s visit was the first high-level visit by a senior Indian minister after his predecessor Pranab Mukherjee’s trip in November 2008 and follows Nepal Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal’s India visit last year.

“It has been a very fruitful visit. I go back fully satisfied having achieved the mission of trying to understand Nepal and conveying to Nepal that India means well for Nepal,” he said before leaving for New Delhi.

During the past three days, Krishna met a number of dignitaries including the President, Prime Minister, foreign minister Sujata Koirala, Maoist chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and Nepali Congress chief GP Koirala.

He apprised the leaders of India’s concern at the country being used as a haven by terror outfits and shipment of fake currency and was assured that no anti-India activity would be allowed on Nepali soil.

Earlier on Sunday, Krishna and other members of the Indian delegation including foreign secretary Nirupama Rao met Chairman of Nepal’s Constituent Assembly Subhash Nemwang and parliamentarians from various parties.

Refusing to comment on what type of constitution Nepal should adopt for itself, Krishna stated that the issue is better left to the wisdom of leaders of Nepal’s political parties and India has no role to play.

A joint statement on the visit stated that directions have been issued to foreign secretaries of India and Nepal to review and discuss the 1950 treaty of peace and friendship to further strengthen bilateral relations.

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

Get the latest headlines from US news and global updates from Pakistan, Nepal, UK, Bangladesh, Russia and US Iran war Live, get all the latest headlines in one place on Hindustan Times.