India, Nepal hold delegation-level talks

New Delhi, Feb 20  Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart K.P. Sharma Oli led delegation-level talks here on Saturday, the second day of the latter's six-day visit to India.

“Deliberating the details of a deep-rooted relationship. PM Narendra modi and POM K.P. Sharma Pli lead delegation talks,” external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup stated on Twitter.

The talks got underway after a meeting between Modi and Oli at Hyderabad House here.

This is the first bilateral visit by a prime minister from the Himalayan nation since 2011 when Baburam Bhattarai visited India.

In 2014, then prime minister Sushil Koirala visited India for the swearing-in ceremony of the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

In August 2014, Modi paid a bilateral visit to Nepal, the first by an Indian prime minister in 17 years.

Modi again went in November 2014 for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit in Kathmandu.

Earlier on Saturday, Oli was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, where he was accorded a guard of honour.

Following this, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on the visiting dignitary.

During the meeting, Oli told Sushma Swaraj that India and Nepal have a natural and civilisational relationship, according to Swarup.

Oli's visit assumes significance as ties between the two South Asian neighbours in the last few months soured after the adoption of a new constitution in the Himalayan nation sparked violent protests in the country's southern plains.