India, Nepal Review Progress On Wide-Ranging Bilateral Agenda

The India-Nepal Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) on Trade and Transit held meetings on Monday, during which both sides reviewed progress on the broad bilateral agenda, including the review of trade and transit treaties, the Indian Embassy said.

The virtual meeting was headed by both countries’ trade secretaries. The IGC is the bilateral review process at the apex and offers a way forward to further strengthen bilateral trade and economic relations.

Nepal’s Secretary of Commerce and Supplies, Mr. Baikuntha Aryal, was assisted by representatives from various ministries and government departments of Nepal. Mr. Anup Wadhawan, Secretary of Commerce of the Government of India, was joined by India’s Ambassador to Nepal, Mr. Vinay Mohan Kwatra, and a 15-member delegation from various ministries and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.

During the meeting, both trade secretaries stated with appreciation that there was “smooth and unconstrained” trade and commercial cargo movement by trucks across the land border with both the government’s support and facilitation, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today’s broad-based discussions and the progress made in the meeting.

The expansion of economic and commercial relations between India and Nepal is expected to further help the expansion.

Days after Foreign Secretary Mr. Harsh Vardhan Shringla visited Nepal, the meeting took place. Mr. Shringla called on Nepali President Ms. Bidya Devi Bhandari and KP Prime Minister Mr. Sharma Oli during his visit.

Mr. Shringla had also met with Mr. Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, Nepal’s foreign minister, and Mr. Bharat Raj Paudyal, his Nepalese counterpart.

India remains Nepal’s largest trade and investment partner, both in terms of Nepalese imports and Nepalese exports, the Embassy said.

Source: IBEF