India and Nepal have age-old historical and cultural ties, open borders and close people-to-people contacts

India and Nepal have agreed to expeditiously finalize a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for agricultural cooperation so that rapid progress can be made on various bilateral agricultural issues.

The matter was discussed during a meeting with Nepal's Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development Mahendra Rai Yadav and Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar in New Delhi on Wednesday.

During the meeting, Tomar spoke of strengthening cooperation with Nepal in all fields including agriculture, and pointed out that India has made great progress in the field of research and development in agriculture and allied sectors. Nepal can learn from the Indian agricultural system, whenever required, he said, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

The Nepalese Minister requested Tomar to extend cooperation in the field of agriculture technology, Murrah buffalo breed, resolution of quarantine issues at border points and supply of animal vaccines etc. Tomar, in turn, assured the Nepal delegation of early resolution of the issues raised by them.

Tomar said that India and Nepal enjoy close and friendly relations, which are clearly manifested in the age-old historical and cultural ties, open borders and close people-to-people contacts.

Complimenting the Nepalese Minister and other delegates for visiting India, Tomar solicited Nepal's support for India's candidature of the Presidency of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).