Nepal-India Joint Commission: Inauguration of Three 132 kVA Transmission Lines and High-Level Meetings

In a significant development to strengthen bilateral ties, three transmission lines of 132 kVA are set to be inaugurated during the visit of Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to Nepal. The joint inauguration ceremony, to be presided over by Foreign Minister NP Saud and Dr. Jaishankar, is scheduled for tomorrow.

The inaugurated transmission lines include the Raxaul-Parwanipur line connecting Bihar province of India, the Kushaha-Kataiya line, and the Nautanwa-Mainahia line, establishing crucial connections between Nepal and India.

As part of the visit, a delegation from the Ministry of Energy of India has arrived in Kathmandu to sign a medium-term and long-term energy agreement between the two nations. The highlight of this agreement is the signing of a 10,000 MW power trade agreement, set to take place at the meeting of the foreign ministers of both countries. Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary of the Ministry of Energy of India, and Gopal Sigdel, Secretary of the Ministry of Energy of Nepal, will officiate the signing.

Accompanying Dr. Jaishankar will be a delegation including Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Joint Secretary in charge of the Nepal Desk Anurag Srivastava, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, and officials from the Border Management under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Additionally, Secretaries from the Ministry of Energy, Civil Aviation, and Water Resources of India will participate in the delegation.

The delegation is expected to land at Tribhuvan International Airport at 10 am on January 4 through a special plane of the Indian Air Force. They will be welcomed by Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava.

Dr. Jaishankar, invited by Foreign Minister NP Saud, is scheduled to hold a high-level meeting with Minister Saud, during which the Nepal-India Joint Commission meeting will be discussed. Further high-profile meetings are on the agenda, including interactions with President Ramchandra Paudel, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda,’ Nepali Congress Chairman Sher Bahadur Deuba, and CPN (UML) Chairman KP Sharma Oli.

A dinner organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will provide an opportunity for a group meeting with leaders of parliamentary parties, chairpersons of parliamentary committees, and top leaders of major political parties, further fostering diplomatic dialogue between Nepal and India.

The visit holds promise for bolstering cooperation in various sectors and fortifying the enduring friendship between the two neighboring nations.