KATHMANDU, JUNE 6
Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held bilateral talks in New Delhi on Saturday, discussing ways to further strengthen Nepal-India relations.
According to statements shared by both ministers on social media, the discussions focused on trade, investment, connectivity, energy cooperation and people-to-people ties.
During the meeting, Minister Khanal conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Balendra Shah, the Government of Nepal and the Nepali people to India and its citizens. He said Nepal's new government has received a clear mandate to promote good governance, economic transformation and results-oriented diplomacy, while reaffirming its commitment to building a transformative partnership with India.
Describing India as Nepal's closest neighbour and most important partner, Khanal emphasized that the two countries share deep civilizational, cultural and historical links. He expressed confidence that productive and result-oriented discussions would lay the groundwork for future high-level exchanges and open a new chapter in bilateral relations.
Welcoming the Nepali delegation, Minister Jaishankar recalled his recent meeting with Khanal on the sidelines of the ninth Indian Ocean Conference in Mauritius. He noted that India and Nepal enjoy a unique relationship founded on strong people-to-people connections, cross-border interactions, and shared cultural and religious traditions.
Jaishankar said bilateral cooperation continues to expand across trade, investment, energy, development partnership, education, disaster response and culture, while highlighting new opportunities in startups, artificial intelligence, information technology and renewable energy. He also reiterated India's commitment to maintaining uninterrupted fuel supplies to Nepal amid the ongoing crisis in West Asia.
Both ministers expressed optimism about further deepening cooperation and unlocking the full potential of Nepal-India relations. Jaishankar also conveyed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to working closely with Nepal for the mutual benefit of both countries.
Minister Khanal is on a three-day official visit to India from June 5-7 at the invitation of Jaishankar. During the visit, he also met senior Indian political leaders and addressed a programme organized by the India Foundation in New Delhi. He is scheduled to return to Kathmandu on Sunday.