POLITICS// The leaders of Nepal and India have overcome mutual misgivings after talks to ease tensions over Nepal’s recently-adopted constitution. Nepal Prime Minister K P Oli was recently in New Delhi for talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi after a long freeze in political relations that was triggered by the grievances of plains dwellers in southern Nepal. Nepal made changes to its constitution to ensure greater participation of the Madhesi community in Parliament, although the amendments failed to address their central fear that provincial borders would be redrawn in a way that would divide them.

A four-month border blockade by the Madhesis ended only after amendments to the constitution that sought to address their concerns about representation. India welcomed the amendments, which paved the way for Oli’s visit. Modi and Oli inaugurated a power transmission line between India and Nepal and signed a framework agreement for reconstruction work in areas affected by last year’s earthquakes that killed nearly 9,000 people. Although India has offered $1 billion in aid to Nepal, reconstruction efforts have been slow to get started.