External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will make her second Rs stand-alone’ visit to Nepal on July 25. She will be in Kathmandu to attend the meeting of a Joint Commission between the two nations and will meet top Nepali leadership during her three-day stay.
Swaraj will call on Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and hold meeting with other leaders including Maoist leader Prachanda. The joint commission meeting will be taking place after a gap of 23 years under a new format with a Rs five-cluster ‘approach: Political, security and border issues; Economic Co-operation and Infrastructure; Trade and Transit; Power and Water Resources and Culture, Education and Media.
Swaraj is also likely to discuss key security and border issues with her Nepali counterpart. “Our intention, endeavour and hope is that the External Affairs Minister’s visit will pave the way for Prime Minister’s early visit to Nepal,” said Syed Akbaruddin, spokesperson for External Affairs Ministry . Even though the JCM was happening after a long period, India has 25 bilateral mechanisms with Nepal where both are interacting on a regular basis, said Akbaruddin.
The Indian delegation will have officials from Power, Water Resources, Commerce, Road Transport, Railways, Human Resources Development, Culture ministries along with officials of MEA and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). The bilateral trade between two nations is almost $4.7 billion while India accounts for 47% of foreign direct investment in Nepal.
There are six million Nepalese workers in India. Annually three thousand Nepalese are provided scholarships and there are about 450 India sponsored small development projects going on In Nepal. India has helped Nepal in health sector and is making a 200 bed trauma centre in Kathmandu. India is also helping Nepal build a Railway line.