The 2018 Himalayan Consensus Summit is underway in Kathmandu, Nepal. Experts and government leaders are looking for solutions to climate change and poverty. Another key topic is China and India's relationship - it's getting more attention as Beijing works more with South Asian countries through the Belt and Road initiative. Our reporter Mao Dan sat down with the former Indian Foreign Secretary - and former ambassador to China.  

MAO DAN CGTN REPORTER "Thank you ambassador Rao for having this interview with CGTN. There are some ups and downs in China-India relationship. Where do you see the relationship is heading?"

NIRUPAMA RAO FORMER INDIAN FOREIGN SECRETARY "I always thought that India and China together form a kind of spine of Asia. They are like the backbone of Asia. If the backbone is strong, then the region is strong and the region can do many good things. So it's very important for us to understand how essential it is for India and China to cooperate despite their differences. We must get to know each other better, I think the people of the two countries, especially young people of the two countries should get to know each other better. we should open our educational institutions to young people of both countries, we should know about each other's culture and history. We should avoid stereotypes and prejudices in our understanding of each other. So there is much scope for us to expand and deepen our relationship and have a mature dialogue regarding the differences between us."

MAO DAN CGTN REPORTER "There are a lot of talks about building connectivity in the Himalayan region. How do you think China's Belt and Road initiative can come into play without causing misunderstanding or concerns from regional countries?"

NIRUPAMA RAO FORMER INDIAN FOREIGN SECRETARY "We would've liked to see closer political consultations between Indian and China as the initiative of the Belt and Road developed. That is why I think we had a few wrinkles, we've had a few obstacles in the taking forward of this concept. Ideally, I've liked to see much more exchange of views between our two countries especially when it comes to connectivity in our region. So let us develop a better communication among these issues so that it doesn't accumulate the differences and do not accumulate in a manner that raises tensions and misunderstanding between our two countries."