Patna, April 25: Bihar government and Nepal ministry of external affairs would be hosting a two-day seminar on Indo-Nepal ties with a Bihar-centric perspective.

The event assumes importance with Nepal’s “man of the moment” Prachanda seeking a review of Indo-Nepal treaty of peace and friendship.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar will open the two-day seminar to be held between April 26 and 27 on “Emerging trends in India-Nepal relations” at the Chanakya Hotel tomorrow.The seminar would be participated by Union minister of state for commerce Jairam Ramesh, former Indian Ambassador to Nepal Deb Mukherjee, special envoy of the Prime Minister Shyam Saran and Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh.

Chief minister’s secretariat conceded that the Nepal minister for physical planning and works, Hisila Yami, is leading a 45-member Nepalese delegation to Patna for the seminar. The delegation would comprise academicians, journalists and high-profile people.

The Nepalese ambassador to India, Durgesh Mansingh, head of international affairs bureau of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) .P. Gajurel, Madheshi leader Sarita Giri and Rajan Bhattarai of the Communist Party of Nepal are participating in the event.

Chief minister’s office spokesperson A.K. Choudhary confirmed to The Telegraph the chief minister would attend the seminar tomorrow.

He said: “The Nepal ambassador Durgesh Mansingh and Indian PM's special envoy Shyam Sharan are meeting Kumar this evening ahead of the important event.”

An minister of external affairs news release said the seminar would discuss “Trade and investment relations and economic co-operation in the context of Nepal’s development priorities”.

Senior officials of commerce ministry of Nepal and leading industrialists would speak on the topic.

Media and television experts from either side would discuss “cross-border linkages” through media and culture.

A documentary — Team Nepal — presentations on border infrastructure and release of an Indian Embassy publication, Being Together, Growing Together, are other highlights of the event.

A senior Bihar government official said the seminar objective was to discuss aspects of bilateral relations ahead of sweeping political changes in Nepal. “Right from political and cultural links, to economic co-operation, border security, to sharing of river water and overflow of rainwater to Bihar, everything would be discussed,” said an organiser.