New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Nepalese counterpart Narayan Khadka in New York and agreed to work together to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.
Taking to Twitter, EAM Jaishankar said, "Pleased to welcome my new Nepali colleague, Dr Narayan Khadka. Agreed that we should work together closely to take our special relationship forward."
This is the first meeting between the two ministers. Last week, Jaishankar had congratulated Khadka on his appointment as Nepal’s Foreign Minister.
India has historical and civilisational linkages with Nepal, the the External Affairs had said earlier, citing that in recent years, bilateral cooperation has strengthened, with several major infrastructures and cross-border connectivity projects completed with India's assistance.
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The ties between the two countries came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated an 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand May 8.
Amid much political instability in the Himalayan nation, on September 22, Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had appointed Narayan Khadka as foreign minister.
Deuba’s secretariat confirmed that Khadka has been appointed foreign minister to lead the country’s delegation to the ongoing UN General Assembly (UNGA).
Earlier, Nepal mission to the UN took to Twitter and said, " Hon. Foreign Minister Dr Narayan Khadka had a fruitful meeting with H.E. @DrSJaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India on the sidelines of the UNGA76. The two Ministers agreed to further strengthen the existing cooperation between Nepal and India."
