'India An Economic Powerhouse': Nepal FM Highlights Bilateral Partnership, Backs Cooperation

Published 7 June 2026 · local

'India An Economic Powerhouse': Nepal FM Highlights Bilateral Partnership, Backs Cooperation Published By, Last Updated: June 07, 2026, 11:35 IST Nepal FM Shishir Khanal highlighted

'India An Economic Powerhouse': Nepal FM Highlights Bilateral Partnership, Backs Cooperation Published By, Last Updated: June 07, 2026, 11:35 IST Nepal FM Shishir Khanal highlighted growing India-Nepal cooperation in trade, energy and digital payments, while praising India's economic rise during his New Delhi visit. Nepal Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal briefs the media (Video screengrab/ANI) Nepal Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal on Sunday said Nepal wants to engage with a “rising India" that has emerged as a major technological and economic force, while advocating a development-oriented approach to bilateral ties focused on trade, connectivity, energy and economic transformation. Addressing the media during his visit to India, Khanal highlighted India’s economic growth and global standing, saying that Nepal sees opportunities for cooperation and shared prosperity. “When we look across the border, we see India as an economic powerhouse." “We see a rising India, an India that has fundamentally and beautifully redefined itself on the global stage as a dynamic, fast-growing tech and economic powerhouse," he said. “We want to engage with this India of intense aspiration, cutting-edge technology, and relentless execution. In turn, we bring the energy of aspiring Nepal." Khanal also said Nepal’s new political leadership does not view relations with India through the lens of old geopolitical rivalries. “We refuse to look at India through the distorted, hypersensitive lens of 20th-century geopolitics," Khanal said. “Instead, the Rastriya Swatantra Party wants to shift the entire vocabulary of Nepal-India relations away from geopolitical friction and square it firmly on development and diplomacy. We look at India with an open heart, clear eyes, and a single transparent agenda: the economic transformation of Nepal." The Nepal Foreign Minister said the priority of his government is to ensure that commitments made between the two countries are translated into tangible benefits for citizens.

“Our primary responsibility is to close the gap between old promises made on paper and the physical reality delivered on the ground, transitioning away from abstract political statements to deliver measurable, life-changing results," he said. Khanal also described himself as representing a changing political landscape in Nepal. “I represent a completely new political reality in Nepal. Our rise is driven by an extraordinary and historical mandate from our citizens, centred on uncompromising good governance, strict meritocracy, and direct accountability," he said. TALKS WITH JAISHANKAR Referring to his meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Khanal said discussions covered a broad range of issues central to bilateral cooperation. “Yesterday, on June 6, I had detailed and productive bilateral talks with my counterpart, His Excellency Dr S Jaishankar," he said. “Our discussions encompassed the full spectrum of our bilateral relationships, focusing on trade, cross-border connectivity, energy partnership, water resources management, and people-to-people ties." He said both sides were committed to ensuring that the open border between the two countries serves as a facilitator of growth and connectivity. “True independence means our shared borders act as highly efficient bridges, not frustrating barriers," Khanal said. “Rather than engaging in hyper-nationalistic grandstanding, we are pursuing calm, data-driven, and evidence-based discussion to resolve challenges in good faith." DIGITAL PAYMENTS AND DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION Khanal also highlighted progress in digital financial integration between the two neighbours. “We have officially announced the operation of cross-border payment transactions under the MoU between Nepal Clearing House Limited and Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)," he said. According to the minister, the initiative will enable seamless digital transactions between the two countries.