Amid praise for the positive dynamic in bilateral relations in recent years, Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve pending issues between the two culturally linked nations.
"The time has come to resolve all pending issues through dialogue," Oli emphasised on Tuesday while adding that it was time to sort out "differences" and "advance their partnership".
Nepal has claimed that Indian border forces are illegally placed on Nepali territory since the 1962 India-China War. A new Indian map showed the region of Kalapani, a 35-square km, as part of India.
Nevertheless, Oli lauded the "timely completion of projects" by India which he claimed will "brighten the prospects for deep cooperation".
Oli was speaking at the joint inauguration of the second integrated check-post at Jogbani-Biratnagar, aimed at facilitating smooth cross-border trade and the movement of people across the border.
— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) January 21, 2020
The border check-post has been opened days ahead of the opening of the seven Chinese sea and land ports for the Himalayan nation (Nepal) under the Agreement on Transit and Transportation between Nepal and China.
While promising to revisit Nepal in 2020, Modi said India is committed to "enhancing the connectivity among all friendly countries in its neighbourhood, and that more development projects will come up in a few years".
After, facing backlash amid the bonhomie in the relationship after the energy blockade in 2015, the Indian side had operationalised a first-ever transnational oil pipeline in South Asia last year.
The $48 million Motihari-Amlekhgunj pipeline had come into being after China announced it would supply energy to provide relief to landlocked Nepal. Nepal and China have also been discussing linking the two countries through a railway to boost bilateral trade.
