External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar embarked on a two-day visit to Kathmandu to co-chair the seventh Nepal-India Joint Commission meeting with his Nepalese counterpart. The meeting, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, aimed to comprehensively review the state of bilateral ties between the two nations.
This visit marked Mr. Jaishankar's first foreign trip in 2024. The India-Nepal Joint Commission, established in 1987, serves as a platform for both countries to assess all aspects of their bilateral partnership. The discussions during the Joint Commission meeting were expected to cover a wide range of issues related to Nepal-India relations.
"Nepal is a priority partner of India under its 'Neighbourhood First' Policy. The visit is in keeping with the tradition of high level exchanges between two close and friendly neighbours," the Ministry of External Affairs said in New Delhi.
Nepal's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Amrit Bahadur Rai, mentioned that the meeting would focus on ways to strengthen bilateral relations and maximize mutual benefits through an enhanced partnership. During the visit, Mr. Jaishankar planned to pay courtesy calls on President Ramchandra Paudel and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda," as well as meet with other senior political leaders of Nepal.
It was anticipated that an agreement on the modalities for Nepal to export 10,000 megawatts of power to India over the next decade would be signed during the visit. This aligns with a decision made by the leadership of both countries in June of the previous year.
Nepal holds strategic importance for India, and the visit aimed to further strengthen diplomatic ties between the two neighbors. The historic "Roti Beti" relationship, emphasizing the close cultural and people-to-people ties, has been a recurring theme in the dialogue between the leaders of India and Nepal.
(With Agency Inputs)
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