Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar's Official Visit to Nepal Scheduled for January 2024

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is scheduled to visit Kathmandu on January 4-5, 2024, to participate in the seventh meeting of the India-Nepal Joint Commission. Invited by his Nepalese counterpart N.P. Saud, Jaishankar's visit aims to strengthen bilateral ties and address issues between the two neighboring nations.

The visit, confirmed by Saud, will focus on reviewing and smoothing relations between Nepal and India, utilizing the highest bilateral mechanism available to them. After a hiatus of nearly three years, the meeting presents an opportunity to sign several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).

While the specifics of the agreements are yet to be finalized, discussions are ongoing between ministries to establish the meeting's agenda. Saud expressed the possibility of reaching agreements during the visit, emphasizing the preparatory work being done.

Jaishankar is expected to engage in talks with top Nepalese leaders, including President Ram Chandra Poudel and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. An agreement to export 10,000 megawatts of energy from Nepal to India is anticipated to be signed during the visit. Additionally, deals related to digital payments are under consideration.

The External Affairs Minister will inaugurate the new central library at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, constructed with Indian assistance. This visit builds on the comprehensive discussions held during the previous Joint Commission meeting in January 2021, covering various aspects of bilateral relations such as Covid-19 vaccine supply, boundary and border management, connectivity, economic cooperation, trade, transit, power, water resources, culture, and education.

The India-Nepal Joint Commission was established during the Nepal visit of then Indian Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar in February 1991, underlining the longstanding diplomatic ties between the two nations.

(With Agency Inputs)