Nepal's PM heads to India to mend fences, win benefits

KATHMANDU -- Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, is set to embark on a four-day diplomatic mission to India, aiming to improve a critical relationship strained by disputes over borders and power projects.

With their 1,770-kilometer open border, Nepal has traditionally depended on trade with its southern neighbor, while India has exerted significant political influence in the Himalayan nation. But ties deteriorated three years ago, when Nepal issued a "political map" incorporating disputed northwestern territory controlled by India, which had inaugurated a road to China through the area.