Parliamentary delegation from Nepal meets Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla
Jan 31, 2024
New Delhi [India], January 31 : An eight-member Nepalese delegation led by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on International Relations and Tourism Raj Kishore Yadav met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at Parliament House Complex on Wednesday.
During the meeting, Birla called Nepal a strategic partner and expressed hope that the ties between the two nations fostered for long will strengthen over time. 
Birla warmly greeted the delegation from Nepal to India, stressing that the two nations were not just neighbouring nations but also custodians of a common history, culture, and democratic principles that united them, as per a press release issued from the Lok Sabha Secretariat. 
As per the release, the Lok Sabha Speaker highlighted the enduring spiritual, historical, and cultural relations between India and Nepal. Birla underscored the profound emotional connection between the people that strengthened the bond between the two countries.
Highlighting the exceptional nature of relations between India and Nepal, Om Birla spoke about the friendly nature of the relationship, as amply exhibited by the open borders and frequent interactions among the people. 
Speaking on the importance of this day, Birla informed Nepal's parliamentary delegation that their visit coincided with the first-ever budget session to be held in the new building of the Parliament of India, where the President had addressed both Houses of Parliament.
The Lok Sabha Speaker called it very important to have a mutual dialogue between the parliaments of the two nations. Birla added, "Through this, we share our views with each other on global and regional issues, and a common vision is created among ourselves."
He stressed that continued discussions, dialogues, and close contacts between the top leadership of the two countries were important in strengthening close ties as well as reinforcing democratic values.
He also brought into focus the endeavours being carried out in Parliament to enhance productivity, like the launching of the One Nation - One Legislative platform initiative which seeks to bring all parliamentary debates on a single platform. He highlighted the need to educate and familiarize legislators with the law-making process including legislative drafting.
Praising India's economic growth, Raj Kishore Yadav expressed Nepal's willingness to be a collaborative partner in this economic journey. He also expressed his admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and recalled his visit to Nepal in 1914, where he had received a rousing welcome in the Himalayan nation, according to the official statement.
In a post on X, Lok Sabha Secretariat stated, "Parliamentary Delegation from Nepal led by Shri Raj Kishor Yadav, Chairman, Committee on International Relations & Tourism called on @loksabhaspeaker Shri @ombirlakota in Parliament House, today."
Notably, India and Nepal share unique ties of friendship and cooperation characterized by an open border and deep-rooted people-to-people contacts of kinship and culture, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. The India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1950 forms the bedrock of the special ties that exist between India and Nepal.
