In April 2025, India and Nepal engaged in multiple discussions and agreements, reinforcing their close relationship under India’s “Neighborhood First Policy” .
Key Developments in India-Nepal Relations in April 2025:
- High-Level Exchanges:
- The Prime Minister of India met with the Prime Minister of Nepal on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit, continuing a tradition of regular high-level exchanges .
- MoUs for Community Development:
- India and Nepal signed 10 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth Nepalese Rupees 625 million . These MoUs focused on community development projects in the education, health, and cultural sectors .
- Priority Partnership:
- Nepal remains a priority partner for India under its “Neighborhood First Policy” .
- Trade Relations:
- Two-thirds of Nepal’s trade is with India, making Nepal a major trade partner for India .
- Connectivity:
- India assists Nepal in developing border infrastructure by upgrading roads in the Terai area .
- Historical and Cultural Connections:
- India and Nepal share deep-rooted people-to-people links and commonalities in religion, language, and culture .
- Power Sector Cooperation:
- India and Nepal have a bilateral agreement for the export of 10,000 MW of power in the next 10 years .
- Scientific Collaboration:
- India and Nepal are strengthening scientific ties through an MoU between CSIR (India) and NAST (Nepal) .
Recent agreements have India and Nepal made:
India and Nepal have recently engaged in multiple agreements aimed at strengthening cooperation across various sectors.
Key agreements include:
- Community Development Projects: On April 1, 2025, India and Nepal signed 10 MoUs worth Nepalese Rs.625 million for high-impact community development projects . These projects focus on improvements in education, health, and cultural facilities . They include the construction of schools, e-libraries, health posts, and a monastery .
- Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Sector Cooperation: On March 3, 2025, India and Nepal signed an MoU to enhance cooperation in the WASH sector .
- Scientific Collaboration: On February 18, 2025, an MoU was signed between CSIR (India) and NAST (Nepal) to strengthen scientific ties .
- Power Sector Cooperation: A bilateral agreement enables Nepal to export 10,000 MW of power to India over the next 10 years .
- Trade and Transit: The India-Nepal Treaty of Trade provides duty-free access to primary products . Additionally, there is a Treaty of Transit that grants both countries transit rights through each other’s territory via mutually agreed routes .
