Kathmandu, Nov 25 (IANS): Indian Prime Minister Modi arrived Kathmandu Tuesday afternoon in a special Indian Air Force aircraft to attend the 18th Saarc Summit Nov 26-27.

He was escorted by three other aircraft while flying from New Delhi to Kathmandu.

Modi was welcomed at Tribhuvan International Airport here by Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bamdev Gautam. He was presented a guard of honour by the Nepal Army during which the national anthems of both countries were played.

Thousands of people were queued up along the road from the airport to Hotel Soaltee to welcome Modi. After his first official visit to Kathmandu in August this year, Modi has generated huge interest among the masses of Nepal.

Modi landed with his own bulletproof car and a security team.

The prime minister, who will be leading the Indian delegation in tne Saarc Summit,. has a busy schedule Tuesday afternoon.

He and his Nepali counterpart Sushil Koirala will jointly inaugurate a trauma centre in Kathmandu built with Indian aid which will then be handed over to Nepal by India.

The Indian prime minister will also hand over a helicopter to Nepal Army. He will also pay a courtesy call on Koirala after which the two leaders are expected to witness the signing some bilateral memorandums of understadning (MoUs).

The two prime ministers will also jointly flag off a Kathmandu-New Delhi bus service.