Minister for Foreign Affairs Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that President Bidya Devi Bhandari's state visit to India has been fruitful and significant.

He said so while talking to journalists upon his arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) from New Delhi India on Wednesday morning.

Minister Mahat was a member of the high level delegation accompanying President Bhandari during her ongoing state visit to India.

"This visit has been fruitful in enhancing the relations and goodwill between the two countries," the Foreign Affairs Minister said.

He shared that India's President, Prime Minister and leaders of various political parties, during their meetings with President Bhandari, highlighted the significance of the Nepal-India ties and extended best wishes to Nepal in its efforts towards implementing the constitution and holding the local level elections.

"They have also expressed the commitment to support Nepal in its development endeavours," Mahat added.

Responding to journalists' questions that President Bhandari was received at the airport by India's Minister of State, Minister Mahat made it clear that there was nothing lacking in the honour the Government of India accorded to Nepal's President.

"The guard of honour that India gave to Nepal's President at the Rashtrapati Bhawan is an important thing. The Indian President, Prime Minister and distinguished personalities were present on the occasion," he said.

Minister Mahat explained that President Bhandari went to the airport when Indian President Pranab Mukherjee arrived on a state visit to Nepal as Nepal has the tradition of presenting the guard of honour at the airport itself.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs returned home today after the formal programmes and high-level meetings scheduled for the President on the first two days of her visit in New Delhi concluded on Tuesday night, read a statement.

President Bhandari and high members of her delegation were hosted at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi.

As per the India's protocol tradition, Indian President Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended an official reception to President Bhandari at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan on Tuesday morning.

On the occasion, President Bhandari inspected the guard of honour presented to her.

Minister Mahat stated that the President held cordial talks with India's President, Vice-President, Prime Minister and ministers.

Similarly, the Indian President on Tuesday evening hosted a state banquet at the Rastrapati Bhawan, New Delhi in the honour of President Bhandari.

The Presidents of both neighbours exchanged views on the historical bonds between Nepal and India and shared that the regular exchange of visits at the highest level, bilateral meetings and talks would contribute to consolidate such ties further, Minister Mahat said.

During the meeting with Indian PM Modi, the President congratulated the government of India for recording great strides in the sectors of economic growth and development under his leadership.

She said Nepal as a close neighbour to India and having closely connected to its economy, desires to reap benefit from the progress and prosperity of its neighbour (India).

During the meeting, PM Modi stated that his government was committed to lending all possible support for the progress and development of its neighbour.

Highlighting on the achievements Nepal has made in the areas of women empowerment and inclusion through the constitutional provisions in this regard, the President shared with the Indian PM that Nepal was making preparations for holding the local level elections as per the constitutional provisions for conducting the elections of all three tiers within the January 21, 2018 since the promulgation of the constitution.

The India's PM stated that India would always have support to Nepal in its every efforts meant for achieving development and economic progress. RSS