Culture

Government of India initiatives to promote people-to-people contacts in the area of art & culture, academics and media include cultural programmes, symposia and events organized in partnership with different local bodies of Nepal, as well as conferences and seminars in Hindi.

• Familiarization visits to India by Nepali journalists/editors and short term training in India for Nepali editors/journalists/experts/officials in the field of print & electronic media and archaeology are also arranged.
• An MoU between the Sahitya Kala Akademi (India) and the Nepal Academy is already in operation. Four more MoUs have been signed between Doordarshan and Nepal TV, Press Council of India and Press Council of Nepal, Lalit Kala Akademi, India and Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, and an MoU on Youth Exchange between the Governments of India and Nepal. MoUs between the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India and the Nepal Academy of Music & Drama.
• An MoU between Akashwani (AIR) India and Radio Nepal are under consideration to promote cultural and information exchanges between the two countries. The Governments of India and Nepal have signed three sister-city agreements for twinning of Kathmandu-Varanasi, Lumbini-Bodhgaya and Janakpur-Ayodhya.
• India is establishing an E-library system across Nepal.

ICCR Chair:An MoU between ICCR and Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel (Nepal) has been signed for setting up ICCR Chair at the University and efforts are underway to sign an MoU between ICCR and Tribhuvan University for setting up ICCR Chair at the University.

Indian Cultural Centre

• An Indian Cultural Centre was set up in Kathmandu in August 2007 to showcase the best of Indian culture across Nepali cities.
• The Indian Cultural Centre in Kathmandu has generated considerable goodwill through the various cultural events it has undertaken in the past.
• The Nepal–Bharat Library was founded in 1951 in Kathmandu. Its objective is to enhance and strengthen cultural relations and information exchange between India and Nepal.

B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation

• The B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation was set up in 1991 through an MoU signed between the Governments of India and Nepal.
• The Foundation’s objective is to foster educational, cultural, scientific and technical cooperation between India and Nepal and to promote mutual understanding and cooperation through sharing of knowledge and professional talents in academic pursuits and technical specialization.

1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship

• The 1950 India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship (official name Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between The Government of India and The Government of Nepal) is a bilateral treaty between Nepal and India establishing a close strategic relationship between the two South Asian neighbours.
• The treaty was signed at Kathmandu on 31 July 1950 by the last Rana Prime Minister of Nepal Mohan Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana and Indian ambassador to Nepal, Chadreshwar Narayan Singh and came into force the same day as per Article 9 of the Treaty.
• Rana rule in Nepal ended just 3 months after the treaty was signed. The treaty allows free movement of people and goods between the two nations and a close relationship and collaboration on matters of defense and foreign policy.

Key Provisions of the Treaty

As per Articles 6 and 7, the two governments agree to grant, on a reciprocal basis, to the nationals of one country in the territories of the other, the same privileges in the matter of residence, ownership of property (requires RBI permission), participation in trade and commerce, movement and other privileges of a similar nature.

This enables Nepali and Indian citizens to move freely across the border without passport or visa, live and work in either country and own property or conduct trade or business in either country.

There are a large number of Indians living, owning property and working or doing business in Nepal as a beneficial aspect of the treaty for India. Reciprocally, many Nepalese live, own property and conduct business freely in India.