India pledges support for Nepal's flood recovery during Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle's visit
India has reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to assisting Nepal with disaster relief, recovery, and long-term rebuilding efforts following recent devastating floods. This pledge comes during the ongoing official visit of Nepal’s Finance Minister, Swarnim Wagle, to New Delhi.
Addressing a press briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal highlighted the high-level engagements currently taking place. He emphasized the multi-dimensional nature of the economic and bilateral cooperation existing between the two neighboring nations.
High-level economic and diplomatic discussions
According to Jaiswal, the Finance Minister of Nepal is currently visiting India to engage in critical dialogues. He noted that the Nepali Finance Minister met with the Indian Finance Minister yesterday to discuss various economic issues, including trade and investment.
"We have strong, ongoing cooperation on trade, investment, and financial matters with Nepal," Jaiswal stated during the briefing. The diplomatic itinerary for the visit is comprehensive and includes a scheduled meeting with India's External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar.
Addressing the recent natural disasters that struck the Himalayan nation, the spokesperson explained that these bilateral discussions provided a vital opportunity. The meetings allowed both sides to assess the specific needs regarding post-flood recovery and to convey India's solidarity with its neighbor.
Jaiswal further noted that during the meeting with the Finance Minister, India expressed its continued support for the relief, recovery, and rebuilding efforts in Nepal. It also served as an occasion to convey deepest condolences regarding the tragedy and the loss of lives caused by the floods.
Strengthening bilateral ties and infrastructure
Nepal's Finance Minister, Swarnim Wagle, is currently on a three-day visit to Delhi, which commenced on Thursday. On that first day, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with Wagle in New Delhi to discuss bilateral economic ties and India's commitment to Nepal's rehabilitation.
This high-level meeting marked a significant milestone, as it was the first official visit for Wagle since he assumed office as Nepal's Finance Minister. The discussions were attended by several key officials, including India's Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs.
In a post on X, the Ministry of Finance expressed sympathy over the destruction caused by the recent natural calamities in Nepal. "FM Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman conveyed her condolences on the loss of lives in the recent floods in Nepal, and conveyed India's continued support for Nepal's recovery and rebuilding efforts," the ministry stated.
The dialogue specifically centered on the impact of the floods and the specific priorities Nepal has set for reconstruction and rehabilitation. The Nepali delegation acknowledged the prompt assistance that has been provided by New Delhi during this crisis.
Cooperation on connectivity and trade
Dr. Wagle expressed his gratitude to the Union Finance Minister for India's support. He specifically expressed appreciation for the various forms of assistance extended by India, which included relief supplies as well as technical support for rescue and relief operations.
Beyond the immediate disaster response, the two finance ministers engaged in discussions regarding key areas of bilateral collaboration. They focused heavily on infrastructure and cross-border connectivity as a means to strengthen economic ties between the two countries.
The discussions covered several critical areas, including:
Strengthening bilateral economic ties in various sectors.
Initiatives to enhance connectivity.
Deepening of trade and investments.
Promoting people-to-people exchanges.
Both sides emphasized the fundamental importance of further strengthening the trade and economic partnership between India and Nepal. Following these bilateral talks, Charge d'Affaires Surendra Thapa hosted a dinner in the national capital to honor the visiting Nepali Finance Minister.
According to a post by the Embassy of Nepal in India on X, Wagle interacted with diplomatic staff during the event. He exchanged views with embassy officials regarding Nepal-India economic relations and encouraged them to continue working proactively to further strengthen bilateral economic engagement.
Prior to the arrival of Swarnim Wagle, the Nepal Ministry of Finance had outlined the objectives of this three-day visit. The ministry confirmed via an X post that the itinerary includes meetings with both Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Foreign Minister Dr. S Jaishankar.
The Nepal Ministry of Finance clarified that post-disaster reconstruction and bilateral economic cooperation will serve as the main topics of the visit. This visit is expected to further strengthen the financial partnership and the economic engagements held between the two nations.