E-Kantipur

NEW DELHI, OCT 21 - Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, who is on a four-day official visit to India, held discussions with Indian President Pratibha Patil at the latter’s office in Rastrapati Bhawan, New Delhi on Friday.

Earlier today, Bhattarai held talks with Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krisha at Hotel Leela Palace. Krishna went to meet the prime minister at around 10:00 local time. 

During the meeting that lasted for about an hour, Krishna conveyed India's deep concern for bilateral relation and stressed the need to strengthen cordial and economic relations with Nepal.

Krishna also hinted at the formalisation of Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (BIPPA) that would facilitate the flow of Indian investment opportunities to Nepal.

“We had a very fruitful discussion and very pleasant meeting,” said Krishana emerging from the meeting.

The duo held discussion on the peace process and constitution drafting. “It's the matter for Nepal to sort out the issues of peace process and constitution writing,” Krishna told reporters.

He said, India is very supportive and is willing to do everything within its powers depending on the comfort level of Nepali political actors and help the constitution writing and pursue the peace process.

He said they also discussed border management issue and stressed on the need to move ahead in a constructive manner in this regard.

In response to queries on extradition treaty and air marshal issue raised by the reporters, Krishna said the issues would be discussed between the prime ministers of the two countries.

Tribute to Gandhi's memorial

Before starting bilateral talks, Prime Minister Bhattarai visited Rajghat—memorial of Mahatma Gandhi. Accompained by his wife Hisila Yami and other ministers and officials, PM Bhattarai paid a floral tribute at Samadhi (memorial) of Gandhi, Father of India.

"I pay my humble respect to the great thinker of 20th century, Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Indian nation.We need him more than ever in these new context of the contemporary world," Bhattarai wrote in the notebook kept at the memorial.

After visiting the memorial, PM Bhattarai held talks with Jaya Prakash Agrawal--the Chairman of Indo-Nepal parliamentary friendship Group.

Also today, PM Bhattarai met with Indian Vice President Vice President Hamid Ansari. However, the meeting beetween the prime minister and Chairman of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Sonia Gandhi was put off due to ailing health condition of the latter.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, a Nepal expert, leader of the opposition party in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party Nitin Gadkari also visited Bhattarai at Hotel Leela.

In the evening, PM Bhattarai held talks with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh in Hyderabad House.

After the meeting, delegations of the two countries engaged in talks followed by the signing of agreements.

The signing of agreements was followed by a banquet hosted by Singh in honour of Bhattarai later this evening.

Prime Minister Bhattarai addressed a business luncheon organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM) this afternoon.

PM Bhattarai had arrived here in the Indian Capital on Thursday for a four-day official visit.

Bhattarai meets Sushma Swaraj

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, who is on a four-day official visit to India beginning Thursday, met with Sushma Swaraj, Leader of the Opposition in the 15th Lok Sabha.

After emerging from the meeting, PM Bhattarai told the reporters that India wishes that all the political leaders move together in the direction of successfully completing the peace process and constitution drafting process.

PM assures security for foreign investment

After his meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai attended the business luncheon organised by The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).

Speaking on the occasion, PM Bhattarai called on the business leaders of India to invest in Nepal and said that safety and security for foreign investment are Nepal’s top priorities.

"Safety and security of industries are top priority for Nepal. We don't discriminate against the foreign companies. We treat them as equal to the national companies," he said.

Bhattarai further stated that to make the investments easier, Nepal is adopting Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (BIPPA) and Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with the government of India. Furthermore, Nepal has also decided to celebrate 2068 (2011/2012) as the investment year.

Moreover, Bhattarai urged for a positive response from the Indian investors stating that the imbalance of trade between Nepal and India can be equally hazardous for India in the long run as it would be for Nepal.

PM Bhattarai said that Nepal has unique and enticing investment advantage such as its extremely low tax, perhaps the lowest in entire South Asia. He also said that Nepal's status to get preferential entry in international market can also be an attraction for the Indian investors.

PM Bhattarai also notified the meeting that Nepal is intending to extend the NTY (Nepal Tourism Year) for the next year as well with a focus on the promotion on Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.

During the meeting Executive member of FICCI Devin Narang said that Nepal should attract Indian investment to address the trade deficit. “The investors are facing discomfort because of strikes, labour unrest and power shortage. While the open border between India and Nepal reflects the unique relationship of brotherhood, it is a fact that it can also be misused. This underlines the need for greater security cooperation between India and Nepal,” he said.

Similarly, Past President of CII, Ranjive Kaul, said that the Indian investors are interested to invest in Nepal but Nepal should create an environment to lure them. “It has vast possibility of investment in areas of infrastructure, agro and forest based products and hydro projects among others. Nepal can also be the ideal destination for medical tourism due to its natural advantage,” he said.

Likewise, FNCCI President Suraj Vaidya said that Nepal can benefit from the rapid prosperity of neighbours, invited Indian investors to invest more in Nepal and said that they are ready to cooperate.

Furthermore, CCI President Binod Chaudhary said that rational prosperity is the key to regional stability. Chaudhary questioned, “How can India be a global power if surrounded by impoverished nations? Hence, it is the responsibility of India to take the lead.”

Posted on: 2011-10-21 09:41

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