On August 18, Nepal’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba embarked on a 5-day official India visit. The visit – undertaken at the invitation of Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr S. Jaishankar – marks Minister Deuba’s first official bilateral visit since she assumed charge in July 2024.
The visit assumes significance given its potential to advance Nepal-India age-old ties, and boost Minister Deuba’s stature in Nepal’s political landscape.
During her visit, Minister Deuba held significant high-level meetings, notably with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Dr S. Jaishankar.
During their courtesy meeting on August 19, Prime Minister Modi and Minister Deuba expressed their appreciation for ongoing high-level bilateral engagements between Nepal and India, and conveyed their commitment to further strengthening Nepal-India ties.
Notably, Foreign Minister Deuba handed over an official invitation from Prime Minister Oli for Prime Minister Modi to visit Nepal. Prime Minister Modi accepted the invitation, with the timing of the visit expected to be finalized through diplomatic channels.
Following the meeting, Prime Minister Modi and Minister Deuba posted the following messages on X (formerly Twitter).
Foreign Minister Deuba’s meeting with Jaishankar featured discussions on the full range of the Nepal-India partnership. The counterparts reviewed the partnership’s progress and identified opportunities for further collaboration.
A significant outcome of the meeting was India’s decision to allow Nepal to transfer an additional 251 MW of electricity to India. The additional 251 MW of electricity will make Nepal the first Himalayan nation to supply power to Bihar under a medium-term sales agreement. Notably, with an additional 251 MW, the total electricity transfer from Nepal to India stands at 941 MW.
Following the meeting, Minister Jaishankar and Minister Deuba posted the following messages on X (formerly Twitter).
Minister Deuba’s visit was covered by prominent national and regional media outlets in India, including The Hindu, Economic Times, Times of India, Deccan Herald, Business Standard, and ANI, among others.
In their coverage, Indian media outlets made several observations.
Firstly, coverage noted that Minister Deuba’s visit keeps with “the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between India and Nepal.” Indeed, the visit comes shortly after Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s official visit to Nepal and Prime Minister Oli’s virtual participation in the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit hosted by India.
Secondly, coverage contended that the visit indicates both Kathmandu and New Delhi’s continued prioritization of Nepal-India ties.
Media outlets noted that this trip – endorsed by Nepali Prime Minister Oli – marked Minister Deuba’s maiden official visit since taking charge. They interpreted this as a testament to Kathmandu’s commitment to strengthening ties with India. Media outlets also emphasized the significance of Nepal in India’s Neighborhood First policy – a sentiment echoed by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, which categorizes Nepal as a “priority partner” within the policy.
Thirdly, coverage noted prior hiccups in Nepal-India ties stemming from border disputes and governance or policy changes, albeit pointing to both sides’ commitment to maintaining a stable and cooperative relationship. Specifically, media outlets pointed to the Indian Army’s recruitment of Nepali Gurkhas – an important facet of Nepal-India ties which has been strained since the introduction of the Agnipath Scheme in 2022. Said media outlets expressed hopes that Minister Deuba’s official visit would resolve the issue of stalled Gurkha recruitment.
Broadly speaking, Indian media outlets’ coverage of Minister Deuba’s visit was positive, indicating that the trip was well-received by the Indian side.
Long-time observers of Nepal-India ties agree, heeding the “high-value” nature of Minister Deuba’s engagements in New Delhi. In particular, they highlight her meeting with Prime Minister Modi, which was attended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Principal Secretary PK Mishra, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava. Said observers note that this composition of high-ranking Indian officials resembles those in meetings with former Nepali prime ministers, indicating the importance accorded to Minister Deuba’s visit by New Delhi.
The nature and outcomes of Minister Deuba’s meetings add to ongoing momentum in Nepal-India engagement, and bode well for bilateral ties.
Additionally, they may boost Minister Deuba’s domestic standing. Indeed, experts note that very few former Nepali foreign ministers have had the opportunity to meet with the Indian prime minister during such visits. This particular visit may change this, and pave way for more Nepali female politicians to take on prominent roles in Nepal’s national and international engagements.
Written by Pratistha Rijal. Pratistha holds a Master’s in Asian Studies from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and a Bachelor’s in International Relations from Carleton College. Her writing has been featured in Nepali Times, The Diplomat, and Observer Research Foundation.
