Foreign Minister Rana Meets US Official, Seeks Support for Bipin Joshi’s Release

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba met with Ricky Gill, Special Assistant to the US President for National Security Affairs and Senior Director for South and Central Asian Affairs at the National Security Council, in New Delhi today. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 10th edition of the Raisina Dialogue 2025, organized by India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Discussions centered on strengthening Nepal-US ties, which are based on shared democratic and human rights values, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the meeting, Dr. Rana urged Gill to facilitate the release and repatriation of Nepali national Bipin Joshi, who is believed to be held captive by Hamas. She reiterated Nepal’s ongoing diplomatic efforts for his freedom and emphasized the importance of US support in securing his release.

Dr. Rana recalled her previous appeals to the US government on Joshi’s behalf and noted that Nepal has also sought assistance from Israel, Qatar, Egypt, and other nations. Expressing confidence in continued Nepal-US cooperation, she underscored the urgency of the matter.

Joshi was among those abducted during the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, which resulted in over a thousand casualties, including 10 Nepali nationals. Since then, the Nepalese government has actively pursued diplomatic avenues for his release, with Dr. Rana consistently raising the issue at national, regional, and international forums, including the United Nations.