KATHMANDU, Feb 14: As Union Minister for Power Manohar Lal Khattar prepares for his visit to Nepal, India is advocating for the rapid completion of projects financed by New Delhi in the Himalayan country.
In a meeting between Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava and Nepal’s Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, Deepak Khadka, the focus was on expediting the detailed project report (DPR) for the Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project, according to sources within the ministry.
The discussions also included Khattar’s upcoming visit to Nepal.
Ambassador Srivastava emphasized the need for quick progress on projects backed by Indian investment and explored various aspects of energy collaboration between the two nations.
Minister Khadka expressed gratitude to Srivastava for India’s support in power trade, development of additional transmission lines, and advancements in hydropower projects involving Indian investments.
In response, Srivastava reiterated India’s commitment to continually support Nepal regarding initiatives in power trading, transmission line development, and green hydrogen production.
This meeting came shortly after Khadka’s discussions with India’s Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, and Minister of Jal Shakti, C R Patil, during his visit to New Delhi.
Following their meeting at the India Energy Week 2025, Puri shared on X that they explored further possibilities for collaboration, including LNG supply to Nepal and enhancing energy ties to meet Nepal’s 100% petroleum demand.
The two ministers also reviewed existing infrastructure cooperation projects, including South East Asia’s inaugural transnational pipeline project, and discussed ways to expedite the execution of the Siliguri-Jhapa and Amlekhgunj-Chitwan projects and their respective terminals.
Reports indicate that during Khadka’s interaction with Patil, both parties agreed to revive and accelerate discussions on various mechanisms concerning multipurpose projects, flood management, and irrigation, among other topics. (PTI)
