In Nepal, PM Modi signs 6 MoUs, lays foundation stone for Buddhist Centre

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday was received by his Nepali counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba and other ministers as part of a four-day visit to the Himalayan nation.

On the occasion of Buddha Purnima, PM Modi and Nepali PM Sher Bahadur Deuba laid the foundation stone for the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture & Heritage in the Lumbini Monastic Zone. As per reports, the project will be funded by the Indian Ministry of Culture under the directives of the Lumbini Development Trust. It is said to be the first net-zero emission building in Nepal.

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During the visit, the two prime ministers also lit the lamp near the Ashoka Pillar after visiting the sacred Maya Devi Temple in Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha.

“I feel blessed to have prayed at the Maya Devi Temple on Buddha Purnima. May Lord Buddha bless us all and make our planet peaceful and prosperous,” said Modi said in a tweet on the social media platform.

PM Modi and his Nepali counterpart also held discussions on potential ways to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries and prospects of new areas of partnership in key areas, such as hydropower and connectivity. A total of six Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed by the two leaders as part of the discussions. These MoUs are aimed at solidifying the cultural and technological ties between the two neighbours.

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According to a statement issued by the Nepal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two sides have agreed in principle to establish sister city relations between Lumbini and Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar region.

“The necessary process will be taken in due course through appropriate local authorities,” the Foreign Ministry said in the statement.

Upon landing, PM Modi received a warm welcome from the Indian community in Nepal’s Lumbini where he also held interactions with the people.

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Modi is visiting the Himalayan nation at the invitation of the Nepali PM who had travelled to India last month. Significantly, this is the first visit by the Prime Minister to Nepal since the two countries were experiencing strained relations over a border dispute in 2020.

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