Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Nepal Monday said that India’s relations with its neighbour are unshakeable like the Himalayas. He said that India and Nepal’s ever-strengthening friendship and their closeness will benefit the entire humanity in the emerging global situation. Modi, who was on a day-long visit to the Himalayan nation at the invitation of his Nepalese counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba, made the remarks while addressing the International Buddhist Conference in Lumbini.

India and Nepal’s ever-strengthening friendship and our closeness will benefit the entire humanity in the kind of global conditions that are emerging, he said in his special address. Modi said that India and Nepal relations are unshakeable like the Himalayas and added that both the countries will work towards solving global problems with Buddha’s ideologies.

Prime Ministers visited the Mayadevi temple, within which lies the birthplace of Lord Buddha. At the temple, the Prime Ministers attended prayers conducted as per Buddhist rituals and made offerings.

The Prime Ministers also lit lamps and visited the historical Ashoka Pillar, which carries the first epigraphic evidence of Lumbini being the birthplace of Lord Buddha. They also watered the holy Bodhi tree that was brought as a gift by Prime Minister Modi during his visit to Nepal in 2014.