Nepal's Vice President Paramananda Jha Wednesday said the relationship between India and Nepal was unique and extraordinary, rooted in the shared history and culture of the two countries.
Jha was speaking at a meeting of parliamentarians from India and Nepal who deliberated upon various issues that affect people on both sides of the border between the two countries.
Former prime minister and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML) leader Madhav Kumar Nepal said that priority be given to enhancing economic relations while keeping intact the religious, cultural and familial ties that the two countries have enjoyed for centuries.
He said that Nepal should reap economic benefits from the development in India, adding that Nepal can work as a bridge between India and China.
The CPN-UML leader said the relations between the people living on both sides of the border would determine the relation between the two countries.
Tarai Madhesh Loktantrik Party leader Mahanta Thakur said the challenges faced by the people living in border areas in both the countries face common challenges.
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Indian envoy to Nepal Ranjit Rae said that India was ready to cooperate with Nepal for its economic development and that his focus was on completing projects being implemented in Nepal through Indian assistance.
The Indian delegation includes Daddan Mishra, Pankaj Chaudhari, Ajay Kumar Nishad, Achyutananda Mishra and eight parliamentarians from Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
The two-day programme was organised by the Madhesi Journalists Association and Media for Border Harmony.