Page 2 - India Nepal Ties

Nepal crisis: Delhi-Kathmandu skies closed, travel cancellations trickle in

Air India, IndiGo, Nepal Airlines, and SpiceJet suspend flights; MEA advises Indian citizens in Nepal to stay indoors

Nepal crisis: AP govt reaches out to Indian embassy as citizens stranded

Scores of Indians, including former Information Commissioner Madabhushi Sridharacharyulu, were stranded in Nepal amid curfew, hotel attacks and flight cancellations

From Nepal to Dhaka: A growing list of India's neighbours shaken by protest

From Nepal's social media ban riots to Bangladesh's student uprising and Sri Lanka's economic collapse, India's neighbours face repeated upheavals with regional fallout

India expresses grief over deaths, says monitoring developments in Nepal

India on Tuesday said it is deeply saddened by the loss of many young lives during protests in Nepal and hoped that the issues will be resolved through peaceful means. Violent protests by youths in Kathmandu and a few other places against a government ban on social media sites on Monday left at least 19 people dead and over 300 others injured. "We are closely monitoring the developments in Nepal since yesterday and are deeply saddened by the loss of many young lives," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with families of deceased. We also wish speedy recovery for those who were injured," it said. "As a close friend and neighbour, we hope that all concerned will exercise restraint and address any issues through peaceful means and dialogue," the MEA said in a statement. It also asked Indian nationals to exercise caution in view of the prevailing situation in that country. "We have also taken note that authorities have imposed curfew in Kathmand

FS Vikram Misri concludes two-day visit to Nepal, meets top leaders

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday wrapped up his two-day visit to Nepal during which he met the country's top leadership and discussed progress in different areas of bilateral cooperation. Misri, who arrived here at the invitation of his Nepalese counterpart Amrit Bahadur Rai, called on President Ramchandra Paudel, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba during his visit. "He conveyed to them greetings from the leadership in India and briefed them on the progress being made in various aspects of the mutually-beneficial bilateral cooperation between the two countries," the Indian Embassy said in a press release on Monday. Misri also handed over a formal invitation to Prime Minister Oli from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit India on mutually convenient dates, it said. He also held wide-ranging discussions with Rai on Sunday and reviewed the progress made in various bilateral initiatives and discussed opportunities for further collaboration, ...

Vikram Misri holds talks with Nepal's top leadership on boosting ties

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Sunday called on Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and President Ramchandra Paudel and discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral ties across various sectors. Misri arrived here earlier in the day for a two-day visit to the Himalayan nation on the invitation of his Nepalese counterpart Amrit Bahadur Rai. During his meeting with Oli, which took place at the Prime Minister's Office at Singhdurbar, matters of mutual interest were discussed to further deepen bilateral relations. Misri reaffirmed the deep civilizational ties and strong IndiaNepal partnership, and discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation across various sectors, the Indian embassy here said in an X post. Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava was also present at the meeting. The foreign secretary separately called on President Paudel and conveyed greetings of the Indian leadership, apart from briefing Hon'ble President on the progress in bilateral ties, the embassy sa

Nepal PM says landlocked barriers can become gateways with India, China

Nepal can transform the barriers of "landlockedness" into gateways of opportunities with the support of its neighbours India and China, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli said on Tuesday. Oli made the comments while addressing the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC) in Awaza, Turkmenistan, according to a statement issued by his office. "We are confident that, with the continued support of our neighbours, India and China, and the broader international community, we can transform the barriers of 'landlockedness' into gateways of opportunity," he said. According to the statement, Oli also said that the Himalayan nation was working with New Delhi and Beijing to enhance connectivity. Nepal firmly believes that regional solidarity and global cooperation are vital for bridging the development divide, he said. As a committed member of the LLDC family, Nepal stands ready to work with all of you, not only as a beneficiary of change, but also as a partner in

PM Oli to raise trade issues with India during upcoming New Delhi visit

Nepal is preparing for a high-level dialogue to resolve existing trade issues with India during Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's upcoming visit to New Delhi, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Damodar Bhandari said on Tuesday. Various issues, including trade promotion, would be discussed, Bhandari said while speaking as chief guest at a programme organised by Nepal Freight Forwarders Association to mark the 31st Cargo Day in Kathmandu. The Ministry has been taking initiatives to upgrade trade and business between the two countries, he added. The government is committed to resolving the trade-related issues with the two neighbouring countries, India and China, as they are Nepal's first market, Bhandari said. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Chhetri last week said Prime Minister Oli will visit India in mid-September. However, the date and the detailed schedules of the visit are yet to be finalised.

India, Nepal ink pact for 5 projects under ₹39 crore grant assistance

India and Nepal on Monday signed an agreement to implement five "high-impact" development projects related to education and health in the Himalayan nation under an Indian grant assistance of NRs 390 million, according to an official statement. The Embassy of India and Nepal's Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration and Project Implementing Agencies signed Memorandums of Understanding, the Indian mission here said in a statement. The five "High Impact Community Development Projects" include the construction of various school buildings in the Madhesh and Sudurpashchim provinces. It also includes the construction of a five-bed hospital building in the Gandaki province, the press release said. The construction of these facilities will help provide better education and health facilities to the people in Nepal, it said. As close neighbours, India and Nepal share wide-ranging and multi-sectoral cooperation," said the statement, adding that the projects' implementation refle

Nepal PM Oli confirms India visit, says timing depends on groundwork

Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has said that he will be visiting India and that ground work is underway on both sides for the visit. He, however, did not specify any time. Oli's comment about his visit to India comes amid speculations by some sections of local media that he didn't receive any invitation from India for an official visit, indicating that his relations with India became sour. I will probably embark on a visit to India. My visit to India will take place after the two sides do necessary ground works, Oli said in an interview to a Nepalese Youtube channel Dishanirdesh TV late on Thursday. It was in July last year that Oli, the chairperson of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) - popular as the CPN-UML - assumed the office of Prime Minister for the fourth time. He had chosen to visit China for his maiden foreign visit, breaking the tradition of visiting India as the first destination after assuming the post of prime minister. Oli also revealed t

20 missing as floods wash away Nepal-China border bridge in Rasuwa

At least 20 people were missing after a river flooded by monsoon rains on Tuesday washed away the Friendship Bridge connecting Nepal with China. The continuous monsoon rainfall in China on Monday night triggered a flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Nepal. The Miteri Bridge in Rasuwa district, 120 km northeast of Kathmandu, was swept away by flooding at around 3:15 am on Tuesday. Twenty people, including six Chinese nationals, have gone missing, official sources said. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), 55 people, including four Indian nationals and one Chinese, were rescued by the joint team of Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police. Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli visited the flood-affected areas near the Nepal-China border, including parts of Rasuwa district. He was accompanied by Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel. Oli in a social media post said the government is working on a war-footing to res

India tops Nepal's June tourist arrivals, US overtakes China for 2nd spot

India continued to be at the top in the arrival of tourists in Nepal by air in June with 32,662 visitors, as the Himalayan nation welcomed 76,425 tourists, according to the Nepal Tourism Board. The US surpassed China, securing second position with 9,696 visitors. In June, 6,736 Chinese tourists visited Nepal by air followed by Bangladesh with 5,449 and the UK with 2,284 arrivals. From 2014 to 2020, China was the second largest country generating tourists for Nepal. However, since 2021, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Nepal has declined with the US emerging as the second largest. India has always topped the number of visitors coming to Nepal. In the first six months of the year, Nepal received 5,77,000 tourists by air, which is a 0.91 per cent decline as compared to the same period last year. In 2024, Nepal welcomed 577,689 tourists by air in the first six months.

India reviews anti-dumping duty on jute imports from Bangladesh, Nepal

India has started a mid-term review of the existing anti-dumping duty imposed on Jute products imported from Bangladesh and Nepal, according to a notification. The review was started by the commerce ministry's arm Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) following a request for the same from Jute Mills Association and AP Mesta Twine Mills Association on behalf of its members. The applicants have submitted that there is a need to re-evaluate and enhance the anti-dumping duty levied against imports of jute from these two countries as there has been decline in the export price of these goods. They have also stated that exports are being made by producers beyond their installed capacity, indicating routing of goods produced by other producers. According to the DGTR notification dated June 30, the applicants have requested for initiation of mid-term review investigation concerning anti-dumping duties imposed on imports of jute products exported by these countries. "On the basis of

Iran-Israel conflict: India to evacuate Nepalese, Lankans under Op Sindhu

Amid escalating Iran-Israel tensions, India will now help evacuate Nepalese and Sri Lankan citizens from Iran under its ongoing Operation Sindhu mission

China asks Nepal to join its new international mediation organisation

China has asked Nepal to join the newly formed International Organisation for Mediation as Beijing wants more countries, besides Pakistan, from the South Asian region to join the initiative formed to further its global influence. The International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed) was launched on Friday in Hong Kong. State-run Xinhua news agency reported that 33 countries signed the convention on-site, making them the founding members of the IOMed. However, the full member list is not yet released. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi who launched the initiative met his Nepali counterpart Arzu Rana Deuba on the sidelines of the ceremony in Hong Kong on Friday and expressed hope that Nepal will join IOMed at an early date, an official press release said here. Deuba attended the IOMed inaugural event but apparently Nepal has not signed up to join it. We discussed various aspects of Nepal-China bilateral ties, including high-level exchanges and development cooperation, Deuba said in a p

Mountain Dialogue: India, Nepal pledge deeper climate, biodiversity ties

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav met Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli to discuss cooperation on clean energy, biodiversity, and climate action during the Sagarmatha Sambaad in Kathmandu

Deeply saddened: New Delhi on death of Nepalese student at Odisha's KIIT

The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said it is "deeply saddened" over the death of a Nepalese student of the KIIT University in Bhubaneswar. The ministry said it has been in constant touch with the Odisha government since it knew about the "tragic incident". The body of the 18-year-old B. Tech computer science student from Nepal was recovered from her hostel room at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) on Thursday evening, police said. The state government has extended full support to the family of the deceased, and a thorough enquiry is currently being conducted by the Odisha police, it said. "We are deeply saddened by the tragic demise of a Nepali student of KIIT University, Bhubaneswar," the MEA said. "We extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family during this difficult time," it added in a statement. This is the second such case at the institute this year. Prakriti Lamsal, another Nepalese student, died by suicide on February 16.

Nepal launches diplomatic efforts to probe death of another student at KIIT

Nepal has launched diplomatic initiatives to probe the death of an 18-year-old student from the Himalayan nation at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha's Bhubaneswar, hours after she was found hanging from the ceiling fan of her hostel room. The incident comes barely two-and-a-half months after Prakriti Lamsal, another Nepalese student of the same institute, died by suicide on February 16. The incident of Prisa Sah, a Nepali student studying at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Odisha, India, being found dead in her hostel room has left us deeply saddened. I pray for the eternal peace of Prisa's soul and express my deepest condolences to her family at this sad hour, Nepal's Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba said in a post on X. Immediately after the incident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiated diplomatic initiatives to investigate the truth of the incident through high-ranking officials of the Government of India, the .

Another Nepalese student found dead in hostel room on KIIT campus in Odisha

A 20-year-old Nepalese student of the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha's Bhubaneswar was found hanging from the ceiling fan of her hostel room on Thursday, police said. The incident comes barely two and a half months following the suicide of Prakriti Lamsal, another Nepalese student of the same institute on February 16, 2025. The body of the B Tech student was recovered from room number 111 of the ladies' hostel of the institute, a senior officer said. She was a student of Computer Science and pursuing her B.Tech, he said, adding that her identity is yet to be ascertained. Yes, the body of a girl from Nepal has been recovered. It seems that she has committed suicide at the ladies' hostel of KIIT, Police Commissioner S. Dev Datta Singh told PTI. There was no comment from the KIIT authorities on the death of the Nepalese student.

SBI ties up with Land Ports Authority for banking services in 26 locations

State Bank of India (SBI) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) to strengthen banking services infrastructure across 26 land ports bordering neighbouring countries. LPAI currently operates 15 land ports across 8 border states adjoining Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar, with 11 more ports sanctioned across states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Mizoram, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. These land ports are handling trade volumes of Rs 70,952 crore, and total passenger movement through these transit points stood at 30.46 lakh as on 2023-24. Over a decade, the ports witnessed a 15-fold rise in trade and an 18-fold increase in passenger movement. Land ports currently handle Rs 71,000 crore in forex trade, and nearly 31 lakh people cross borders through these land ports annually. These land ports are going to play a very pivotal role in international trade, and SBI's presence at these sites will not only contribute towards .