Visit of Foreign Secretary of Nepal, Mr. Bharat Raj Paudyal to India

​Foreign Secretary of Nepal, Shri Bharat Raj Paudyal is on an official visit to India from 13 to 14 September 2022 at the invitation of Foreign Secretary, Shri Vinay Kwatra.

2.​ The two Foreign Secretaries held a bilateral meeting on 13 September 2022. The Foreign Secretaries reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation between India and Nepal, including economic and commercial cooperation, enhancing connectivity, development cooperation, trade, culture and people-people relations. They noted with appreciation the progress on many projects and initiatives announced during the recent visits of Prime Minister of Nepal, Rt Hon Sher Bahadur Deuba to India (April 2022) and Prime Minister of India to Lumbini, Nepal (May 2022).

3.​ Recent progress in bilateral cooperation in power sector including through export of power from Nepal to India was appreciated. It was also agreed that both sides will work to further strengthen such cooperation in keeping with the Joint Vision Statement on Power Sector Cooperation adopted during the visit of PM of Nepal to India in April 2022. Both sides welcomed recent signing of the MoUs between NHPC, India and IBN, Nepal on the development of West Seti and SR-6 projects.

4.​ In terms of connectivity projects, the progress made in operationalisation of Kurta-Bijalpura segment of Jayanagar-Bardibas rail link and Bathnaha-Nepal Custom Yard segment of Jogbani-Biratnagar rail link, which are significant steps in further strengthening the people-people links, was noted with satisfaction. The Nepali side appreciated the Covid-19 assistance provided by India during the pandemic and also thanked the Indian side for keeping the supply lines of trade open, even during the peak of the lock down.

5.​ To further strengthen people-people links, both sides agreed to expeditiously progress on project proposals for the Ramayana Circuit. Both sides also agreed to expeditiously implement extension of petroleum pipeline from Amlekhgunj to Chitwan and construction of an LPG pipeline from Motihari to Chitwan.

6.​ On 14 September 2022, Foreign Secretary Paudyal is expected to call on the External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar.

7.​ The visit of the Foreign Secretary of Nepal is in keeping with the tradition of regular high level exchanges between the two countries.

New Delhi
September 13, 2022