- Nepal and India held high-level meetings in Pokhara to strengthen energy cooperation, focusing on hydropower development and cross-border electricity trade expansion.
- Both nations reviewed the progress of cross-border transmission lines, including the 400 kV Gorakhpur–New Butwal project, to enhance grid connectivity.
- Discussions covered solar energy projects, green hydrogen initiatives, and technical capacity building for Nepal's energy workforce to deepen the bilateral partnership.
- Officials agreed to provide necessary policy and technical support to expedite ongoing power generation and transmission projects across the region.
Pokhara, Nepal: Nepal and India have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in the energy sector during the 13th meetings of the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) and Joint Working Group (JWG) on energy cooperation held in Pokhara.
The high-level meetings reviewed the progress of ongoing bilateral energy projects and discussed ways to accelerate hydropower development, expand cross-border electricity trade, and strengthen transmission connectivity between the two neighbouring countries.
According to the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, the 13th meeting of the Joint Steering Committee was held on Wednesday under the joint chairmanship of India's Power Secretary Pankaj Agrawal and Nepal's Energy Secretary Sarita Dawadi. The 13th meeting of the Joint Working Group was held on Tuesday under the co-chairmanship of India's Joint Secretary (Transmission) Pankaj Kumar and Nepal's Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Sandeep Kumar Dev.
During the meetings, both sides expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the construction of key cross-border transmission infrastructure, including the 400 kV Gorakhpur–New Butwal transmission line. They also discussed measures to expedite the implementation of ongoing and proposed power generation and transmission projects by providing the necessary policy and technical support.
The discussions further covered the coordinated operation of the Nepal and India power grids, the development of solar energy projects, cooperation in green hydrogen, and initiatives to strengthen the technical capacity of Nepal's energy workforce.
Earlier on Tuesday, Indian Power Secretary Pankaj Agrawal met Nepal's Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, to discuss various aspects of bilateral energy cooperation and explore ways to further deepen collaboration in the sector.
Officials from both countries expressed confidence that the understandings reached during the two-day meetings would further strengthen the long-standing energy partnership between Nepal and India while promoting greater regional energy connectivity.
