After laying the foundation stone for the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage in Lumbini, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba held bilateral talks. Arindam Bagchi, a spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs, described it as an “opportunity to strengthen ongoing cooperation and develop new areas in our multifaceted partnership.”
The Buddhist Centre was built decades after most foreign countries, including the United States, China, Canada, France, Germany, and Thailand, established centers in Lumbini to promote Buddhist philosophy.
It will cost INR 1 billion to build and will take three years to complete.
PM Modi went to the Maya Devi temple to pray
“I feel blessed to have prayed at the Maya Devi Temple on Buddha Purnima,” Modi tweeted, sharing photos from the visit.
As he arrived in Lumbini on Monday morning, the PM was greeted by his Nepalese counterpart. “Happy to be among the wonderful people of Nepal on the special occasion of Buddha Purnima,” the PM tweeted shortly after landing.
Looking forward to the Lumbini programs.”The visit aims to put soft power at the forefront of India-Nepal relations while also establishing India’s formal presence at the holy site, which is only 10 kilometers from the border.
Opportunity to strengthen ties
As Modi and Deuba hold bilateral talks, the MEA sees an opportunity to strengthen ties.
Arindam Bagchi, who shared photos of PM Modi and Deuba holding bilateral talks in Lumbini, called it an “opportunity to strengthen ongoing cooperation and develop new areas in our multifaceted partnership.”
In Lumbini, Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Deuba hold bilateral talks
The purpose of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Nepal is to elevate soft power to the forefront of India-Nepal relations. “I also look forward to meeting Prime Minister Deuba again after our productive discussions during his visit to India last month,” Modi said in a statement ahead of his visit. We’ll keep building on our mutual understanding to expand cooperation in a variety of areas, including hydropower, development,
and connectivity.”
Feels blessed: PM Modi
PM Modi on visiting Maya Devi temple on Buddha Purnima said “I feel blessed. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted photos from his visit to the Maya Devi temple, saying, “On Buddha Purnima, I felt fortunate to have prayed at the Maya Devi Temple. May Lord Buddha bless us all and bring peace and prosperity to our world.”
