India today expressed regret over politicization of issues relating to supply of machine readable passports to Nepal following Nepal government's decision to cancel the contract signed with the Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India, a government undertaking and publicizing confidential communication from the Indian Embassy.In a press release issued this afternoon, the Embassy of India, Kathmandu said that India agreed to supply of machine readable passports to Nepal at concessional rate as a goodwill gesture in keeping with the friendly relations between the two countries.The contract for printing the passport booklets by the Indian firm was signed on 26th March for issue of machine readable passports by early-June and to ensure this, Government of India have already initiated action. According to the Embassy, the Government of India further agreed to provide, at its cost, technical assistance, which included supply of software and hardware equipment, installation of these equipments in Kathmandu and training of Nepal government officials for personalization of Machine Readable Passports. Nepal government had decided to scrap the contract with India on supply of machine readable passports (MRPs) on Sunday following political pressure from the opposition Maoists, from within its own party-CPN(UML) and questions raised by Public Accounts Committee of Nepal's parliament on the manner in which the contract was awarded. Opposition Maoists have even publicized a confidential letter written by Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood to Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala relating to awarding of machine readable passports contract to India. Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala termed the government decision to scrap the deal with India as unfortunate and stated that it could affect bilateral relations between the two countries. India however said that it remains committed to strengthening India-Nepal relations which have withstood the test of time. The Maoists had proposed to call a countrywide general strike yesterday, which was later called off following government's decision to scrap the contract with India on supply of machine readable passports.