Lok Sabha Question No. 616 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-04-27
Subject: India-Nepal Relation
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: KAMAL NATH, KRISHNAN NARAYANASAMY RAMACHANDRAN, JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.616 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.04.2016

## INDIA-NEPAL RELATION

616. SHRI KAMAL NATH: SHRI K. N. RAMACHANDRAN: SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  Nepal  has  recently signed a transit and transportation treaty with China to shrug off its dependence on India;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  whether  a  large  number  of agreements  were  entered  into  between  Nepal  and  China  in various other fields also;
- (c) if so, the details in this regard; and
- (d) the likely impact on India-Nepal relationship?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) to (c) Details of agreements signed between Nepal and China is a matter between two sovereign governments. However, according  to  official  Press  Release  of  the  Government  of  Nepal, following agreements were signed during the visit of Prime Minister of Nepal to China in March 2016:

|   S.No. | Agreements/MoUs/LoE                                                                                                                                                                               |
|---------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Agreement on Transit Transport between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Nepal                                                                               |
|       2 | Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Nepal on the Construction, Management and Maintenance of the Xiarwa Boundary River Bridge, (Hilsa) Humla |
|       3 | Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Nepal to implement Pokhara Regional                                |

|    | International Airport Project                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|----|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|  4 | Framework Agreement on the provision of Mixed Loan between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Nepal to implement Pokhara Regional International Airport Project                                      |
|  5 | Letters of Exchange on Project Initiation for the Feasibility Study on Chinese Assistance to Nepal for Exploration of Oil and Gas Resources                                                                                              |
|  6 | Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Population and Environment of Nepal and National Development and Reform Commission of the People's Republic of China concerning the provision of goods for addressing climate change |
|  7 | Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Industry of Nepal and State Administration for Industry and Commerce of the People's Republic of China to strengthen intellectual property system                                    |
|  8 | Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Commerce of Nepal on Launching the Joint Feasibility Study of China-Nepal Free Trade Agreement                        |
|  9 | Memorandum of Understanding between China Banking Regulatory Commission and Nepal Rastra Bank                                                                                                                                            |
| 10 | Concessional Loan Agreement on Pokhara Regional International Airport                                                                                                                                                                    |

- (d) India's age-old ties with Nepal  are unique and  special, characterized by an open border based on shared history, geography, culture, close people-to-people ties, mutual security and close economic linkages. Two-thirds of Nepal's global trade is with India  and  over  90%  of  Nepal's  third  country  import-export  transit through India.

India  is  committed  to  further  strengthening  and  expanding India-Nepal cooperation across diverse areas including tradeeconomic  and  investment  cooperation,  developmental  assistance, connectivity, culture and people-to-people level ties.

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