Minister Dr Rana holds meeting with Indian counterpart Jaishankar

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Feb 16: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba and Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting, on Sunday evening on the sidelines of the Eighth Indian Ocean Conference in Muscat, Oman.

During the meeting, the two leaders discussed various issues of bilateral relations, mutual interests, recent bilateral meetings, and ongoing cooperation between Nepal and India.

They also reviewed progress in trade, transit and water resource development between the two countries, and outcomes from the recent Commerce Secretary-level meeting held in Kathmandu, the energy-related meeting held in New Delhi, India, according to the secretariat of Foreign Minister Dr. Rana.

Furthermore, the meeting discussed progress made on the modalities of cross-border power trade, the trade agreement between Nepal and India, the productive discussions and decisions made during the Nepal-India Intergovernmental Committee meeting held in Kathmandu in January, and the operation of additional ports at Dhamra and Mundra.

The two leaders discussed the resolution of the major technical issues related to the Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project, and the recent ministerial meeting of both countries, which had agreed to take the project forward positively.

During the talks, Dr Rana reiterated Nepal's commitment to deepening cooperation with India for common economic growth and regional stability.

She also expressed appreciation for India's support for facilitating Nepal's electricity exports to India and Bangladesh through the trilateral power trade agreement, describing the agreement as a great achievement for Nepal's energy sector.

She recognised the progress made by the Indian side in operating additional ports, expressing optimism that this would enhance border infrastructure, and trade and connectivity between the two countries.

Dr Jaishankar acknowledged the progress of the Upper Arun Hydroelectric Project, and highlighted the importance of consolidating regional cooperation under the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).