Gurkhas, greatest symbol of UK-Nepal friendship, says British PM

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said there is so much that brings UK and Nepal together, from His Majesty King Charles trekking in the foothills of the Himalayas as a young Prince, to academic alliances and to the huge contribution that the Nepali diaspora makes in the UK.

Delivering his remarks at a reception he hosted at Number 10 Downing Street on May 20 to celebrate 100 years of the UK-Nepal Treaty of Friendship, Prime Minister Sunak expressed tributes to the Gurkhas, which he described as the greatest symbol of UK-Nepal friendship and a proof that the bond is truly unique, according to a media note issued by the British Embassy in Kathmandu. 

Paying tributes to their courage, loyalty, and sacrifice, he added that the service of the Gurkhas is a reminder of the deep ties between the two nations and a promise that those ties would continue to endure.

Describing UK and Nepal as partners in fighting climate change, he said that the support worth 400 million pounds is expected to help Nepal capitalise on its strengths, including its people and its potential for clean energy and to overcome challenges posed by disasters.

Luminaries of the UK-Nepal relationship including parliamentarians, Nepali actor Manisha Koirala, Gurkhas, mountaineers such as Hari Budha, civil society members and members of the Nepali diaspora attended the event.

Addressing the reception, Nepali Ambassador to the UK, Gyan Chandra Acharya said in Nepal we celebrated the treaty, in the historic room at Singh Durbar State Hall, where it was signed a hundred years ago. "We take it as a fitting finale of the commemoration here, first of its kind for Nepal at the official residence of the Prime Minister,” he added.

UK Minister of State for Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan addressed the event, where a copy of the original treaty signed at Singha Darbar in Kathmandu was displayed.