Nepal’s Diplomatic Engagements: Arzu Rana Deuba to Attend Economic Conference in India

Nepal’s Foreign Minister, Arzu Rana Deuba, is set to attend the Indo-Nepal Economic Conference in New Delhi later this month. The visit, en route from Germany, is anticipated to cover high-level meetings, bilateral discussions, and setting dates for Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli's future visit to India.

Nepal's Foreign Minister, Arzu Rana Deuba, is likely to make a diplomatic visit to New Delhi by the end of the month, coinciding with the Indo-Nepal Economic Conference, according to sources. The Foreign Minister's trip is scheduled for December 19 as she travels back from a separate engagement in Germany.

The Nepal Foreign Ministry has confirmed Deuba's attendance at the conference, a fact highlighted earlier by a tweet from Nepal's embassy in India. This tweet hinted at strategic discussions with the Foundation for Economic Growth & Welfare and organizing entities like EGROW and Kathmandu University-Nepal Centre for Contemporary Studies.

Arzu Rana Deuba's agenda in India may include a meeting with India's External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar. Moreover, discussions are expected to propose a visit of Nepal's Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli, to India, tentatively slated for January's second week. Oli's recent signing of a contentious BRI framework in China has stirred domestic debate over financial commitments.

Meanwhile, Nepal Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel is currently in India for a four-day defense-oriented visit, meeting with India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The discussions have underscored defense training, joint exercises, and equipment supply, reinforcing the robust military cooperation between the two nations.

Singh lauded the ongoing collaboration and the appointment of the Nepal Army Chief with an honorary Indian Army title, emphasizing the mutual interests and the 'Neighborhood First Policy' that drives Indo-Nepal relations. His remarks solidify India's commitment to maintaining and enhancing bilateral ties.

(With inputs from agencies.)