KATHMANDU: Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar is slated to embark on a visit to Nepal on Thursday, marking his participation in the seventh meeting of the Nepal-India Foreign Minister-level Joint Commission.
A special plane from the Indian Air Force is expected to touch down at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) at 10 am on Thursday, with Minister Jaishankar’s visit extending over two days.
Sources from the Indian Embassy confirmed that discussions during the Joint Commission meeting will primarily focus on the implementation of agreements forged during the recent visit of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ to India.
“The agenda of the visit is nearly finalized, pending confirmation after discussions with the Prime Minister,” a source from the Foreign Ministry, said.
Additionally, insiders from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have indicated that a significant development is on the horizon—a potential agreement to augment India’s assistance under the small aid project to Nepal from Rs.5 crore to Rs.20 crore, set to be officially signed during the visit.
Nepal is set to propose to the Indian side the opening of international air routes, with specific emphasis on the long-standing demand for air routes from Mahendranagar, Nepalgunj, and Bhairahawa.
Concurrently, India is gearing up for discussions on the Arun 3rd hydropower project, currently halted due to compensation disputes, and its potential completion by 2025.
Furthermore, India is expected to request the Tamor Hydropower Project, while an agreement remains pending on the Detailed Project Report (DPR) submitted by India for the Pancheshwar multi-purpose project, according to the source.
During Prime Minister Dahal’s visit to India last year, his counterpart Narendra Modi expressed the intention to purchase 10,000 megawatts of electricity from Nepal over the next decade.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in the presence of both leaders, marking agreements for the construction of Phukot Karnali and Lower Arun, along with the inauguration of the Gorakhpur-Bhairawa 400 KV transmission line.
While in Kathmandu, Minister Jaishankar will have a courtesy meeting with President Ram Chandra Paudel, Prime Minister Pushpa kamal Dahal, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli.
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