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India said on Thursday that joint commission with Nepal is an important mechanism to provide political guidance to enhance the "special, unique ties" that exist between two countries and it looked forward to constructive discussions on the numerous sectors in the bilateral agenda during the visit of Nepali Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali.
Gyawali arrived in India on Thursday on a three-day visit. He will co-chair the 6th session of the India-Nepal Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) hosted by the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at the regular media briefing that joint commission meeting and the boundary talks are two separate mechanisms. "The joint commission is an important mechanism and provides an opportunity to review, at a high level, the entire gamut of our bilateral partnership, and to provide political guidance to further enhance the special, unique ties that exist between our two countries. We look forward to constructive discussions on the numerous sectors that encompass our bilateral agenda," he said. "Our position on the boundary issue is well known. Let me say that the JCM and boundary talks are separate mechanisms," he added. Gyawali is the most senior political leader to visit India after border row last year triggered by KP Sharma Oli government in Nepal publishing a new political map that showed the three Indian territories -- Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh as part of Nepal. India had termed the move a "unilateral act" and said such "artificial enlargement" of territorial claims will not be accepted by India. India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had visited Nepal in November to reset the bilateral ties. Nepal has been under political turmoil since President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved the Lower House on PM Oli's recommendation in December. After dissolving the Parliament, Oli also proposed elections on April 30 and May 10, 2021, nearly two years ahead of the schedule. (ANI)
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