India doesn’t want free electricity, we want to buy it: Narendra Modi

Kathmandu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday pledged to end Nepal's crippling blackouts and offered to buy electricity from the country endowed with rich hydropower potential.

"Nepal can free India of its darkness with its electricity," said Modi, who today became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the neighbouring nation in 17 years.

"But we don't want free electricity, we want to buy it. Just by selling electricity to India, Nepal can find a place in the developed countries of the world," he said.

"I want to double the amount of electricity India is providing Nepal today so we have to lay the transmission lines as soon as possible," the Prime Minister said.

The two sides have also agreed to take decision regarding Nepal India Power Trading Agreement within the next 45 days.

Read: India to extend $1 billion line of credit to Nepal: Narendra Modi

Days ahead of Modi's visit, the Nepalese media had raised questions regarding the draft of a hydropower cooperation proposed by India. The reports alleged that the draft is against Nepal's national interest as it would seek to monopolise Nepal's abundant water resources by India.

This forced the Indian officials here to say that the country does not intend to monopolise Nepal's water resources and is ready to review the proposed draft of hydropower cooperation with it to accommodate any suggestions for mutual benefit.

"This is just a preliminary draft and we are ready to accommodate any suggestion from the Nepalese side before moving forward in hydropower through consensus," Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Ranjit Rae said late last month.

Read: PM Modi a celebrity in Nepal, gives autograph to a girl in Kathmandu

"We don't have any ill intentions to monopolise Nepal's water resources. These are a part of our efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation in hydropower," Rae had said.

The two countries can settle the disputed issues through a dialogue, he said.

"The proposal is not our final version," Rae said, adding, India is ready to review the draft after discussions with Nepal.