Nepal-India sign long-term power deal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEPAL on Thursday signed a long-term agreement that will facilitate the export of 10,000 MW of electricity to India in the next 10 years during the two-day visit of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to the Himalayan nation. India and Nepal on Thursday signed a slew of agreements as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a “comprehensive and productive” meeting with his Nepalese counterpart NP Saud and discussed overall bilateral ties, trade, connectivity projects and cooperation in defence and security among others. The agreement on power export was inked in the presence of Jaishankar and Nepalese Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Shakti Bahadur Basnet during a bilateral meeting here. Nepal’s Energy Secretary Gopal Sigdel and his Indian counterpart Pankaj Agrawal inked the bilateral agreement that will facilitate the export of 10,000 MW of electricity from Nepal to India in the next 10 years. The two countries had reached an understanding on the electricity export during Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda’s visit to India from May 31 to June 3 last year. Both sides had signed several major pacts including one on increasing New Delhi’s import of power from the neighbouring country to 10,000 MW in the next 10 years from the current 450 MW.

 

Jaishankar, who arrived in Nepal earlier in the day on his first visit to a foreign country in 2024, co-chaired with Saud the 7th India-Nepal Joint Commission meeting. “Discussions focused on our overall bilateral ties, trade & economic relations, land, rail & air connectivity projects, cooperation in defence & security, agriculture, energy, power, water resources, disaster management, tourism, civil aviation, people-to-people & cultural exchanges and development partnership,” Jaishankar said in a post on X. The two sides also exchanged agreements on implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects, Long Term Power Trade, Cooperation in Renewable Energy Development, Munal Satellite and Handover of 5th tranche of post-Jajarkot earthquake relief supply. The two leaders also jointly inaugurated three cross-border transmission lines. Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said that various aspects of Nepal-India relations were discussed on the occasion under the thematic areas of economic relations, connectivity, trade and transit, power and water resources, education and culture and political matters among others.

 

EAM calls on Nepal’s top leadership: Jaishankar on Thursday called on Nepal’s President Ramchandra Paudel and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ here during which the two sides exchanged substantive views on the age-old, unique, and multifaceted Nepal-India relations. Jaishankar, who arrived in Nepal earlier in the day on his first visit to a foreign country in 2024, called on Prime Minister Prachanda at the latter’s office, Singhdurbar and conveyed the warm wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Called on Rt. Hon’ble PM @cmprachanda. Conveyed the warm wishes of PM@narendramodi. Recalled his successful visit to India in June 2023 which has imparted a new momentum to our ties. Discussed the follow-up, including through the Joint Commission Meeting today,” Jaishankar said in a post on X after the meeting. “India-Nepal friendship is indeed unique and our partnership is moving from strength to strength,” he added. Prachanda said that during the meeting they “exchanged substantive views on age-old, unique, and multifaceted Nepal-India relations.” Earlier, Jaishankar paid a courtesy call on President Paudel at the Presidential Office Sheetal Niwas here. “Honoured to call on @OOP_Nepal Ramchandra Paudel. Conveyed the warm greetings of President Droupadi Murmu. Valued his guidance and sentiments for a strong and expanding India-Nepal ties,” the minister said in another post on X.