Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal will begin a three day visit to India on Thursday, with connectivity, energy cooperation, trade and investment expected to dominate discussions…reports Asian Lite News Desk
Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal is set to visit India from June 5 to June 7 for high level talks aimed at boosting cooperation in connectivity, energy, trade and investment between the two neighbouring countries.
The visit, being undertaken at the invitation of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, will be Khanal’s first official trip to India since Nepal’s current government took office in March.
According to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Khanal will hold formal discussions with Jaishankar in New Delhi, where both sides are expected to review bilateral ties and explore ways to deepen cooperation across several strategic sectors.
“The two sides will discuss matters of mutual interest, with a view to enhancing cooperation across key areas including trade, investment, connectivity, energy, and people-to-people ties,” the ministry said in a statement.
Officials in Kathmandu said connectivity is expected to be one of the main focuses of the visit, with discussions likely to cover railway, road, air and cross-border infrastructure projects aimed at improving movement between the two countries.
A senior foreign ministry official said the talks would seek to advance priorities highlighted during the recent India visit of ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party President Rabi Lamichhane.
“Improving railway, road, air and people-to-people connectivity will be a major focus of the bilateral discussions,” the official said.
The visit comes days after Lamichhane met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Indian leaders, during which he stressed the potential for stronger cooperation through seamless connectivity, digital corridors and shared economic opportunities.
Nepal is also expected to raise issues related to aviation connectivity, particularly its long standing request for additional air entry routes from India for the newly developed international airports in Pokhara and Bhairahawa.
At present, most international flights entering Nepal from the south rely on a limited number of air corridors, an issue Kathmandu has repeatedly sought to address.
Infrastructure projects are also likely to feature prominently in the talks. India has already completed a feasibility study for the proposed Raxaul-Kathmandu railway project, which is expected to significantly improve transport links between the two countries if implemented.
Officials said discussions could also touch upon other pending projects, including the Pancheshwar multipurpose project, the East-West Railway and the proposed Janakpur-Ayodhya rail link.
Energy cooperation is another major area on the agenda. During the last meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission in January 2024, the two countries signed a landmark long term power trade agreement under which India agreed to purchase 10,000 MW of electricity from Nepal over a period of 10 years.
The current visit is expected to review progress on that agreement and explore further opportunities for cooperation in the energy sector.
According to officials, Khanal’s visit could also pave the way for the next meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission, a key bilateral mechanism co-chaired by the foreign ministers of the two countries.
While border issues have recently resurfaced in public debate following remarks by Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah regarding disputed territories, officials indicated that the matter is not expected to be part of the formal agenda during Khanal’s visit.
The Nepal government said the visit forms part of regular high level exchanges between the two countries and is aimed at further strengthening the long standing and multifaceted relationship between Kathmandu and New Delhi.
Khanal is scheduled to return to Kathmandu on June 7 after completing his engagements in the Indian capital.
