India is making all attempts to reach out to Nepal after a rather bumpy 2020 following Kathmandu’s announcement of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as its own territories amid the Covid 19 pandemic.

Vijay Chauthaiwale, chief of BJP's Foreign Affairs Department, who was in Kathmandu met Nepal’s Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. Besides, he met former Prime Minister and Nepal Communist Party—UML chief K.P. Sharma Oli and Mahantha Thakur, a senior Madhesi leader.

“For India, Nepal is of strategic importance. India is committed to strengthening bilateral relations with Kathmandu,” Gopal Krishna Agarwal, BJP’s spokesperson told India Narrative earlier.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted soon after his Deuba assumed office.

“Spoke with Prime Minister @DeubaSherbdr to convey my congratulations and best wishes. We will work together to further enhance the wide-ranging cooperation between India and Nepal, including in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” Modi said in a tweet.

Analysts said that it is critical for India and Nepal to maintain cordial relations especially since the two have an open border policy.

The International Business Times—an American online publication noted that Chauthaiwale’s recent visit to Kathmandu and meetings with the top leaders might go unnoticed by the masses, but it is a crucial step in the direction of jump-starting the bilateral ties between India and Nepal.

The low-key Chauthaiwale has been handling BJP’s foreign affairs cell since 2014.

“Be it Operation NaMorica, the Madison Square template or steering the party during crucial campaigns, Chauthaiwale has held a firm position. He was deputed by PM Modi ahead of 2014 elections to ensure the BJP HQ remained in sync with the Gujarat nerve centre,” IBT noted.