New Delhi: Marking the first important bilateral foreign visit of this year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is all set to embark on an official trip to Nepal starting Thursday. He will co-host the 7th meeting of the India-Nepal joint commission with his Nepalese counterpart, N.P. Saud.
The visit is crucial as it is coming in the wake of China's growing regional influence but what is noteworthy is that despite pressure from China, Nepal is forging ahead to ramp up bilateral ties with New Delhi.
The visit will also see the first such bilateral exchange between the External Affairs Minister and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, aka Prachanda. Jaishankar was traveling abroad when the Nepal Prime Minister visited India in June 2023, although they did interact during Dahal’s previous tenures when Jaishankar was Foreign Secretary.
Commenting on the significance of the visit, former ambassador and foreign policy commentator, Anil Trigunayat said, "Nepal is culturally, India's closest partner and Jaishankar's visit underscores the importance India attaches to her 'Neighborhood First policy'. The Joint Commission meeting will encompass the whole gamut of bilateral relations. Energy cooperation which was expanded during PM Dahal's visit".
"As the regional geo-political context diversified, focussed initiatives and strategies must continue to be implemented for the growth and development and security of our friends in the neighbourhood", Trigunayat told ETV Bharat.
According to sources, a long-term agreement on power and modalities of the decision made in June 2023 “to increase the quantum of export of power, as an objective, from Nepal to India to 10,000 MW within the next 10 years”, would be the major announcement of the visit.
Discussions on air connectivity issues, digital payments, and the inauguration of development projects funded by India are all on the agenda of EAM Jaishankar's visit.
The India-Nepal Joint Commission was established in 1987 and provides a platform for both ministers to review all aspects of bilateral partnership. During the visit, Jaishankar will also call on the leadership of Nepal and meet prominent political figures.
Nepal is a priority partner of India under its ‘Neighborhood First’ policy. The visit is in keeping with the tradition of high-level exchanges between two close and friendly neighbours.
It is pertinent to note that another unresolved issue that is most likely to come up during the discussion is the permit for international flights to fly over India to access two of Nepal’s new airports at Pokhara and Bhairahawa, near the Buddha’s birthplace in Lumbini. Nepal PM had made an appeal to PM Modi during the former's India visit.
As far as India is concerned, it has not agreed to the overflights on the ground that the airports have been constructed by China.
According to sources, during the visit, Jaishankar is expected to inaugurate some high-impact community developing programs, including the new central library built with Indian assistance at the Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu.
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