India gifts 10 prisoner carrier trucks to Nepal

KATHMANDU: Ten prisoner carrier trucks were ceremonially handed over by Consul General Devi Sahai Meena to Bhola Dahal, Chief District Officer, Parsa, Government of Nepal, at an event held in Birgunj on Tuesday. This is a part of supplies by the Government of India that have helped enhance Nepal’s capacities related to law enforcement.

In his remarks, Bhola Dahal thanked the Indian side for the gifted trucks and conveyed his appreciation for the comprehensive and mutually beneficial nature of cooperation between the two countries, according to an official release.

Earlier this year, the Government of India had gifted about 640 vehicles — including SUVs, pickups and trucks — to Nepal as part of the assistance requested by the Government of Nepal for the House of Representatives elections held on March 5, 2026. In previous years, more than 2,000 vehicles were gifted by the Government of India to security agencies, including the Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and Nepali Army, the release stated.

The ongoing cooperation and support from the Indian side reflect the multi-faceted and multisectoral development partnership that exists between both countries. It also symbolises the deep mutual trust and friendship between the people of India and Nepal. Last month, the foundation stone for the construction of a school in Nepal’s Far-Western region with Indian assistance was laid.

In a press release, the Indian Embassy stated that the foundation stone was laid for the construction of the building of Shree Basuki Secondary School in Mellekh Rural Municipality-4 of Achham district in Sudurpaschim Province of Nepal. As per the embassy, the foundation stone was jointly laid by Narayan Singh, First Secretary, Embassy of India, Kathmandu, and Jwala Singh Saud, Chairman of Mellekh Rural Municipality.

“The school building is being built with the Government of India’s financial assistance of approximately Nepali Rupees 38 million. This High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) will be implemented through the Mellekh Rural Municipality, Achham,” the release stated.

“As close neighbours, India and Nepal are engaged in wide-ranging and multi-sectoral cooperation. The implementation of HICDPs reflects the continued support of the Government of India in strengthening the efforts of the Government of Nepal in promoting growth and development, apart from augmenting infrastructure in priority sectors,” the release further added.

Such grassroots cooperation is fundamentally guided by the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship, a landmark accord that facilitates open borders and robust commerce, ensuring India remains Nepal’s pre-eminent trade partner and its most significant source of foreign investment. (ANI)