India is proud of Gurkha soldiers: President Pranab Mukherjee

President Pranab Mukherjee has said, India is proud of the Gurkha soldiers and ex-servicemen, describing them as the foundational pillars of the friendship with Nepal. Mr Mukherjee was addressing a gathering of Gurkha ex-servicemen of the Indian Army in the tourist city of Pokhara in Nepal yesterday. He said, it was a matter of pride that the Gurkhas had been serving in India since the past 200 years with exemplary courage and sincerity. The President assured them that the Indian Government would never step



back in its efforts for the welfare of its ex-servicemen.

Later, Mr Mukherjee returned home after concluding his 3-day visit. In a statement to media, the President described the visit as a mission of friendship that reflected the priority India attached to further strengthening their unique relationship. He said, both sides agreed that focus should shift to implementation of ongoing bilateral development and connectivity projects as well as those for post-earthquake reconstruction of Nepal.