Nepal’s Ambassador to India, Dip Kumar Upadhyay, is in Kathmandu at a time when Nepal’s ties with India have cooled off due to the covert blockade that India has imposed. Annapurna Post caught up with Upadhyay to talk about the crisis. Excerpts.

What talks are underway with India to end the blockade? 

We are taking diplomatic initiatives. That aside, we should also resolve political problems that have cropped up in the country. Fruitful efforts are on to achieve this.

You had said there will be concrete talks with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi once he returns from the US….

We have received his message. I am returning to Delhi tomorrow. Nepali people have been facing hardships. Disruption in supply of petroleum and medical products has greatly affected life. Modiji was Nepal’s well-wisher. This aside, the situation is evolving quite differently. I know India always takes institutional decisions. Now on, India and Nepal should not get engaged in minor issues.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Ranjit Ray, is saying the recent turn of events was unexpected, that they did not want the situation to turn the way it did. Trucks remain stranded on the border due to technical reasons. Nepal should provide security to trucks entering and leaving Nepal, within her territories. There was no need for India to worry over security of its vehicles in Nepali territories.

Now on, we should ensure that goods do not remain stranded.