Minister for Foreign Affairs Prakash Sharan Mahat on Wednesday termed President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s state visit to India fruitful and significant. 

Speaking to journalists at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Minister Mahat, who had accompanied President Bhandari during her high-level official engagements in New Delhi on Tuesday, said, “This visit has been fruitful in enhancing the relations and goodwill between Nepal and India.”

President Bhandari on Tuesday held talks with her Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior ministers. 

The President on Wednesday left for Gujarat and Odisha on a religious tour. 

“The Indian president, prime minister and leaders of various political parties during their meetings with President Bhandari highlighted the significance of Nepal-India ties and extended best wishes for the efforts Nepal is making to implement the constitution,” said Mahat. “India also expressed its readiness to support Nepal in its all endeavours.”

Responding to journalists’ queries on President Bhandari being received by India’s minister of state, Minister Mahat said nothing was lacking in India’s welcome to the President, as the Indian government has accorded the highest honour to her. 

“The guard of honour that India gave to the President at Rashtrapati Bhawan is an important aspect; the Indian president, prime minister and other distinguished personalities were present on the occasion,” he said. 

“President Bhandari herself had received her Indian counterpart Mukherjee because we have a tradition of offering a guard of honour at the airport itself,” Minister Mahat explained of Mukherjee’s state visit to Nepal in November last year. 

Minister Mahat returned from Delhi on Wednesday after completing President Bhandari’s formal programmes and high-level meetings on Monday and Tuesday.

President Bhandari is scheduled to return home on Friday.