New Delhi, April 20:

Former Indian Foreign Secretary MK Rasgotra said here today that India was ready to review all treaties between Nepal and itself, including the Peace and Friendship Treaty of 1950.

Rasgotra was speaking at a two-day international seminar on Nepal-India relations and its future. The seminar, organised by the India World Relation Council here, started today. “The Nepalese side has been repeatedly complaining about the Peace and Friendship Treaty of 1950. We have asked Nepal to table an amendment proposal. However, Nepal has not tabled it,” he said.

Pointing to the non-implementation of some treaties between the two countries, Rasgotra said, “As to such treaties either to be implemented or not, the Nepalese side should provide the information to us. It’s not right for particular political groups to raise the issue for their political interests.”

Another former Indian foreign secretary Shashank, saying that there are several things yet to be done to better Indo-Nepal relations, said that the extension of people-to-people relations is the need of the hour.

Director of the Nepal Study Centre at Banaras Hindu University Dr Anju Sharan Upadhayaya said students at the PhD level under the centre were raising issues related to the treaties and distribution of water resources.

Journalist Bharat Bhusan, former Nepali ambassador to India Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, professors Bishwombhar Pyakurel, Dr Chaitanya Mishra, Dr Pushkar Mathema, professor Pramod Shrestha, Dr Madhusudan Subedi and Ajaya Bhadra Khanal presented their working papers on current Nepali politics, economy and social issues in the seminar.