Photographs: ANI/Twitter
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mesmerised the people of Nepal when he gave an eloquent and rousing speech to that country's lawmakers in the Constituent Assembly.
The around 40-minute-long speech began in Nepali, and in it Modi promised to help the people of Nepal on the path of progress.
Here are 10 takeaway quotes from the historic speech.
1. This is an honour for all Indians. I consider this as respect shown to 1.2 billion Indians.
2. Our relations with Nepal are as old as the Himalayas and the Ganga.
3. Not only the people of Nepal but also those who believe in the power of democracy are looking at Nepal and this assembly.
4. I congratulate Nepal for choosing the path of "Buddha" (peace) over "yudha" (war).
5. We have always believed that it is not our work to interfere in what you do but to support you in the path you decide to take. Our only wish is that Nepal's progress reaches as high as the Himalayas. Being your neighbour and seeing our experience as a democracy, we feel happy at the direction in which you are going.
6. Nepal should become a leading exporter of herbal medicines and we are ready to support you in this.
7. Nepal needs ´HIT´ -- Highways, Infoways, Transways -- and we will support you in all these.
8. We Congratulate you for choosing the ballot over bullet.
9. We are so close. Still it took 17 years for us to come here. I assure you this will not happen again. I am coming back again for the SAARC summit.
10. Together SAARC nations should wage a war against poverty and we should help each other in it.
article