Nepal’s Foreign Minister, Arzu Rana Deuba, met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, expressing her dedication to further enhancing the bilateral relations between Nepal and India. She conveyed her gratitude to PM Modi for India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and the various development cooperation projects India has undertaken with Nepal. PM Modi, in turn, appreciated the ongoing high-level engagements between the two countries, according to a press release from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
During the meeting, Arzu Rana Deuba delivered an invitation from Nepal’s Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli, for PM Modi to visit Nepal. PM Modi accepted the invitation, agreeing to a visit on mutually convenient dates to be arranged through diplomatic channels. He emphasised the deep civilisational ties and growing partnership between India and Nepal, and expressed his pleasure in welcoming the Nepalese Foreign Minister.
Taking to X, PM Modi stated, “Pleased to welcome Nepal’s Foreign Minister @Arzuranadeuba. India and Nepal share close civilisational ties and a progressive and multifaceted partnership. Looking forward to continued momentum in our development partnership.”
In a press release, the MEA stated, “The Prime Minister congratulated Foreign Minister Deuba on her appointment as the Foreign Minister of Nepal and appreciated the ongoing momentum in high-level engagements between the two sides. Highlighting the positive impact of these interactions on the bilateral relationship, he also appreciated the participation of the Prime Minister of Nepal in the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit hosted by India.”
“Had a courtesy meeting with the Prime Minister of India, Shri @narendramodi today in New Delhi. We discussed the multifaceted diversity of Nepal-India relations. I hope this visit and our high-level meetings will elevate the historical ties between our two countries to new heights,” the Nepalese Foreign Minister said in a post on X.
“I also handed over an invitation from Rt. Hon Prime Minister @kpsharmaoli to PM Modi ji for a state visit to Nepal,” she added.
On August 19, India and Nepal reviewed the progress of their cooperation in power generation and sports, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. Nepal’s Foreign Minister Arzu Deuba is on an official visit to India from August 18-22, at the invitation of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
During bilateral talks held on Monday, the foreign ministers discussed the entire spectrum of the India-Nepal partnership. They assessed the advancements in various joint initiatives and development projects and explored opportunities for further collaboration in existing and new areas of mutual interest.
“India and Nepal are close and friendly neighbours with deep historical, civilisational, cultural, and people-to-people linkages. There has been sustained momentum in recent years in the implementation of India-assisted projects in Nepal, particularly in the fields of connectivity–physical, digital, as well as people-to-people, including infrastructure and other projects related to cross-border railways, roads, and bridges, Integrated Check Posts, petroleum pipelines, and digital financial connectivity,” the MEA stated.
India and Nepal highlighted the progress in their mutually beneficial partnership in the power sector, with Nepal now able to export nearly 1000 MW of electricity, generating additional revenue for Nepal and supplying clean energy to India. Both foreign ministers acknowledged the significant opportunities that would arise in power sector cooperation with the implementation of the long-term power trade agreement.
Deuba expressed gratitude to the Indian government for approving an additional 251 MW of power exports from Nepal and voiced confidence that cooperation in the power sector between the two nations would continue to grow.
“Thanks to the Government of India for the additional approval of 251 MW of power export from 12 hydropower projects in Nepal to India during the wet season months on a mid-term basis. With this quantum, I am delighted to mention that the Government of India has granted approval for the total hydropower export of 941 MW from Nepal to India so far. I am confident that power sector cooperation between the two countries will reach greater heights in the future,” she stated in her post.
Nepal is poised to export an additional 251 MW of electricity to India, sourced from 12 hydropower projects within the country, after receiving approval from India’s designated authority for cross-border trade. This approval marks the first time Nepal will export power to Bihar through a medium-term power sales agreement, as announced by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.
Both nations also recognised sports as an emerging area of cooperation and welcomed the recent initiative that allowed the Nepali cricket team to train at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
“Nepal is a priority partner for India under its Neighbourhood First policy. The Foreign Minister’s visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries. The visit also provided an opportunity to discuss and identify newer areas of cooperation to further advance our bilateral ties,” the MEA added.
Deuba also held discussions with Jaishankar, where they explored various aspects of cooperation between India and Nepal, including trade, energy, and infrastructure development.
Deuba, arrived in New Delhi on Sunday for a five-day official visit to India at the invitation of Jaishankar. The Ministry of External Affairs noted that this visit upholds the tradition of regular high-level bilateral exchanges between India and Nepal.
