Jaishankar to pay two-day visit to Nepal from Aug 21

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will pay a two-day visit to Nepal from August 21 to participate in the fifth meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission.

The meeting will be co-chaired by Nepal's Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali. The two leaders will review the entire gamut of bilateral partnership, including in the fields of connectivity, trade, economy, culture, power, and education.

"The Joint Commission meeting will review the overall state of bilateral relations, and various areas of cooperation such as connectivity and economic partnership, trade and transit, power and water resources sectors, culture, education and other matters of mutual interest," a release by Nepalese Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

The Joint Commission, which was established in June 1987, provides an opportunity for the two neighbouring countries to review bilateral cooperation in all areas and extend necessary political guidance for further enhancing the traditionally close ties.

The last meeting of the commission was held in New Delhi in October 2016 during which the two sides had reviewed the progress in projects covered under the Lines of Credit, and had agreed to expedite their implementation.

Jaishankar will call on Nepal's President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli during his stay.