KING MAHENDRA AND QUEEN RATNA OF NEPAL ARRIVED IN NEW DELHI, THE INDIAN CAPITAL YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) AT THE BEGINNING OF A 25-DAY VISIT TO INDIA. THEY WERE GREETED AT THE AIRPORT BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA, MR. SHASTRI, AND PRESIDENT RADHAKRISHNAN.

BEFORE LEAVING THE AIRPORT, THE KING AND QUEEN WERE GARLANDED WITH FLOWERS. KING MAHENDRA ALSO INSPECTED A GUARD OF HONOUR.

IN A SPEECH AT THE AIRPORT, KING MAHENDRA SAID THAT HIS PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT RELATIONS BETWEEN NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES CAN PROGRESS ON THE BASIS OF "PEACE, FRIENDSHIP, JUSTICE AND EQUALITY." THE KING SAID IT WAS A MATTER OF GRATIFICATION THAT THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FRIENDLY RELATIONS BETWEEN NEPAL AND INDIA. HE SAID THAT THE NEPALESE ALSO FIRMLY HOLD THAT THERE SHOULD BE CONSTANT EFFORTS ON THE PART OF BOTH COUNTRIES TO STRENGTHEN FURTHER THE EXISTING GOOD RELATIONS.

(DURING THE KING'S ABSENCE, HIS HIMALAYAN KINGDOM WILL BE RULED FOR THE FIRST TIME BY 19-YEAR-OLD CROWN PRINCE BIRENDRA. THE CROWN PRINCE WAS EDUCATED AT BRITAIN'S ETON COLLEGE.)