KATHMANDU, (Reuters) – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday visited Nepal to launch building work with his counterpart K.P.Sharma Oli on the country’s biggest hydroelectric project, as New Delhi seeks to rebuild trust in the Himalayan republic, where China has made deep inroads.
At a ceremony in Kathmandu, Modi and Oli pushed a button that opened the curtain on a plaque at the site of the 900 MW hydro-power project, formally marking the start of construction work there.
The project, which is expected to cost $1.04 billion and is being built by state-run Indian firm Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) Limited, will be the single biggest foreign investment project in cash-strapped Nepal.
India has an open border with Nepal and tens of thousands of Nepalis work in India. The two countries share close religious and cultural bonds.
