Indian Foreign Minister visits Nepal to discuss bilateral relations

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Nepalese counterpart NP Saud co-chaired for 7th meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission on Thursday.

The two leaders discussed various aspects of Nepal-India relations including economic cooperation, connectivity, trade and transit issues, as well as power and water resources.

The Joint Commission meeting is an important bilateral mechanism that provides the leadership of both countries the opportunity to comprehensively review cooperation and discuss ways to further enhance ties.

The meeting concluded with both sides agreeing to work towards deeper engagement and more effective implementation of various initiatives that would benefit both India and Nepal.

Established in 1987, the India-Nepal Joint Commission provides a platform for both ministers to review all aspects of the bilateral partnership, according to an earlier statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Nepal’s Minister of Foreign Affairs posted on X, that he and Jaishankar “discussed various aspects of Nepal-India relations, under the thematic areas of economic relations, connectivity, trade & transit, power and water resources, education and culture and political matters.”

Jaishankar arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday for a two-day visit. Earlier in the day, he met with Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the prime minister’s office in Kathmandu. The prime minister posted about the meeting on X, saying they “exchanged substantive views on age-old, unique, and multifaceted Nepal-India relations.”

Jaishankar arrived in Nepal for his first visit of 2024. Nepal’s Foreign Minister NP Saud will also host a dinner in honor of Jaishankar and his delegation, according to a statement from Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.