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Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) have been signed for undertaking 10 High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) in Nepal under the grant assistance of Government of India in Education, Health, and Culture Sectors at a total cost of Rs 625 million.

The Embassy of India, Kathmandu and the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, Government of Nepal and Project Implementing Agencies of Government of Nepal signed the MoUs on Tuesday, the Embassy of India, Kathmandu stated in a press release.

These 10 projects include construction of Sanba Secondary School, Mikuwa Khola Rural Municipality, Taplejung, Koshi Province; construction of Ngagyur Nyngma Palyul Dhongag Chholing Monastery, Likhu-Pike Rural Municipality, Solukhumbu, Koshi Province;  construction of Nepal-Bharat Maitri E Library at Shree Rastriya Primary School, Bharatpur Metropolitan City, Chitwan, Bagmati Province;  construction of Health Post Building, Ward-3, Indrawati Rural Municipality, Sindhupalchowk, Bagmati Province; and construction of Health Post Building, Ward-6, Indrawati Rural Municipality, Sindhupalchowk, Bagmati Province.

Similarly, MoUs were also signed for construction of Ninyukharka Secondary School, Dhurkot Rural Municipality, Gulmi, Lumbini Province; construction of Naya Gaun Secondary School Building, Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City, Rupandehi, Lumbini Province; construction of Nepal-Bharat Maitri Hospital Building, Chankheli Rural Municipality, Humla, Karnali Province; construction of Siddhanath Secondary School, Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City, Kailali, Sudurpashchim Province; and construction of Shree Satyavadi Secondary School Admin and  Hostel Buildings, Jayaprithivi Municipality, Bajhang, Sudurpashchim Province.

These HICDPs shall be implemented through Local authorities of Government of Nepal i.e., Metropolitan City, Sub-Metropolitan City, Municipalities and Rural Municipalities, according to the Embassy of India.

The implementation of these projects will help provide better educational, healthcare and cultural facilities to the people of Nepal.

Since 2003, India has taken up over 573 HICDPs in Nepal, including the 10 projects whose MoUs have been signed today, and has completed 495 projects in the areas of education, health, road and bridges, river training, drinking water, electrification,  irrigation, culture, social welfare and creation of other public utilities across all 7 provinces of Nepal at the grassroot level. The remaining projects are ongoing at different stages. 

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is on an official visit to Thailand, held a meeting with his Thai counterpart Paetongtran Shinawatra on Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba, PM Oli's Chief Advisor Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Economic Development Advisor Dr Yub Raj Khatiwada, Chief Secretary Eaknarayan Aryal, Secretary of the Foreign Ministry Amrit Bahadur Rai, among others were also present in the meeting.

Earlier, Prime Minister of Thailand, Shinawatra, welcomed Prime Minister Oli at a government building in Thailand.

According to the Foreign Ministry, an agreement related to collaboration in culture and tourism sectors would be signed after the meeting between the Prime Ministers of the two countries.

Similarly, six different memoranda of understanding would be exchanged between non-governmental and business organizations of the two countries as well as the two prime ministers scheduled to hold a joint press conference.

Likewise, the Prime Minister would participate in a luncheon hosted by his Thai counterpart as well as hold a courtesy meeting with the King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn, today itself.

He is scheduled to return home on April 5.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is on an official visit to Thailand, was accorded a guard of honor in Bangkok on Wednesday.

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, ministers and high-ranking officials welcomed Prime Minister Oli where he inspected a guard of honor.

The Prime Minister of Nepal has paid an official visit to Thailand for the first time in the 65-year history of Nepal-Thailand diplomatic relations.

Prime Minister Oli is holding a meeting with his Thai counterpart Shinawatra today itself.

It is expected that this visit would contribute to the expansion of mutual relations and collaboration between the two countries.

According to the Foreign Ministry, an agreement related to collaboration in culture and tourism sectors would be signed after the meeting between the Prime Ministers of the two countries.

Similarly, six different memoranda of understanding would be exchanged between non-governmental and business organizations of the two countries. After the agreement, the two prime ministers are scheduled to hold a joint press conference.

Likewise, the Prime Minister would participate in a luncheon hosted by his counterpart as well as hold a courtesy meeting with the King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn, today itself.

He is scheduled to return home on April 5.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is planning an executive order that would ease rules governing exports of military equipment, and could announce it as soon as Tuesday or Wednesday, four sources familiar with the discussions said, Reuters reported.

The sources, some in government and some in industry, said they expected the order would be similar to legislation proposed by Trump's national security adviser, Michael Waltz, last year when he was a Republican member of the House of Representatives.

An executive order could increase sales for big U.S. defense contractors like Lockheed Martin.

If it had become law, the bill backed by Waltz in 2024 would have amended the U.S. Arms Export Control Act to increase the minimum dollar amounts that trigger a congressional review of arms exports to other countries. They would increase to $23 million from $14 million for arms transfers, and rise to $83 million from $50 million for the sale of military equipment, upgrades, training and other services, according to Reuters.