Swaraj to visit Nepal this week

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will be visiting Nepal from Friday to Sunday, to revive the Indo-Nepal Joint Commission after a gap of 23 years. Her visit will also pave the way for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit there soon.

The revived joint commission will be structured into five clusters: Political, security and border issues; economic cooperation and infrastructure; trade and transit; power and water resources; culture, education and media. This is the first time such an approach will be established.

Swaraj is expected to meet “a cross-section of the political leadership in Nepal across the spectrum”, ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told reporters here on Wednesday. That was likely to include Prachanda aka Pushpa Kumar Dahal, head of the Maoist party there, and a former prime minister.

“Our intention is that the minister’s visit will pave the way for the prime minister’s early visit,” he said.

The visit is taking place with Modi’s agenda of revitalising bilateral ties in mind.

Swaraj will be accompanied by representatives from the ministries of commerce and industry, railways, human resource development and power.

The two governments already have 25 mechanisms to boost bilateral ties. Trade between the neighbours is $4.7 billion a year. India accounts for 47 per cent of Nepal’s foreign direct investment.

In terms of connectivity, India and Nepal shares an open border and 60 flights operate between both countries a week.