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Wrapping up his two-day visit to Nepal, External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar returned home on Friday.

Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal bade farewell to him at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

During his visit, Nepal and India on Thursday signed a landmark agreement on bilateral energy cooperation, allowing seamless export of Nepal’s energy to the Indian market. As per the agreement, India will purchase up to 10,000 MW electricity in the next 10 years.

He also held separate meetings with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, President Ram Chandra Paudel and other political leaders. After the meeting with PM Dahal, Jaishankar recalled the former’s “successful visit to India in June 2023 which has imparted a new momentum to our ties.”

Jaishankar said they discussed the “follow-up, including through Joint Commission”, adding that India-Nepal friendship is indeed unique and is moving from strength to strength.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said various aspects of Nepal-India relations were discussed under the thematic areas of economic relations, connectivity, trade and transit, power and water resources, education and culture and political matters.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has expressed his commitment that the present government shall not conclude any agreements against the national interest.

Participating in the discussions on a bill designed to amend the Constitutional Council (Works, Duties, Rights and Work Procedures) Act, 2066 BS in a meeting of the House of Representatives, State Affairs and Good Governance Committee today, he reiterated that the government would enter into only the agreements that are in the nation's interest.

The PM said so while making things clear from his side after the lawmakers during the discussions inquired him about what transpired in his meeting Thursday with the Minister of External Affairs of India, S Jaishankar, and the agreements Nepal signed with India.

"I had a one-on-one and Nepali delegation-level meeting with the Indian External Affairs Minister yesterday. During the meeting, I talked on matters of Nepal's national interest and the electricity trade agreement only. The electricity trade agreement is in Nepal's interest; and an agreement has been reached by which Nepal will export 10,000 megawatts of power in 10 years," he said.

Stating that it is India not alone deciding on projects of up to Rs 200 million of investment, PM Dahal made it clear that Nepal also decides and has partnership on this matter. He further said: "The main thing is that an agreement has been made by which India will buy 10,000 megawatts of power in 10 years, no matter who has produced the electricity. It is not necessary to have any doubts, and the implementation of the agreement will also be only in Nepal's national interest."

In reply to lawmakers' question that the Indian Minister for External Affairs had been concerned about the Chinese delegation's visit to Nepal, the Prime Minister said, "He (S Jaishankar) did not even mention a word about this matter during the one-to-one and the delegation-level meeting as well. That is only falsehood and propaganda; it does not have any truth."

Stating that emphasis has been laid on unanimous consensus as far as possible on the bill designed to amend the Constitutional Council (Works, Duties, Rights and Work Procedures) Act, 2066 BS, the PM insisted the amendment bill has been brought to eliminate the problems and ill practices seen in the past in constitutional appointments.

Visiting Indian Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar offered pooja at the Pashupatinath temple on Friday.

Minister S Jaishankar offered special pooja and also planted Rudrakshya sapling at the premises of Pashupatinath temple.  

The Indian External Affairs Minister arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday to attend the 7th Nepal-India Joint Commission meeting.

He also held meetings with the top political leadership on Thursday itself.

For the first time of its kind, the government is appointing the Vice-Chancellor of the Tribhuvan University (TU) through open competition.

Issuing a notice today, the committee formed to select and recommend the VC of the TU has sought applications from the qualified individuals for the open competition.

Prior to this, Prime Minister and Chancellor of the TU, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, had said that the VC of the TU would be appointed on the basis of merit by ending political appointment in the country's largest and the grand old university.

The notice of the recommendation committee comes in line with the PM's announcement to appoint the VC based on meritocracy.

This time, qualification and experiences, concept paper and four-year-long plan of actions of the applicants would be considered for the appointment of the VC.

India is to provide Rs 10 billion in financial aid to Nepal for the reconstruction of structures damaged in the earthquake in Jajarkot and Rukum West.

During a meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission organized in Kathmandu on Thursday, it was agreed that India would provide Rs 10 billion in assistance for the reconstruction of quake-damaged structures in Jajarkot and Rukum West.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Amrit Bahadur Rai said that a four-point agreement was signed on the occasion.

Among which, Nepal would export 10,000 megawatt electricity to India in 10 years and the satellite made by Nepal would be launched with the help of India.

Spokesperson Rai said that three 132 KV international transmission lines were inaugurated in the meeting.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has claimed that the long-term agreement between Nepal and India on electricity export was a milestone from power trade perspective.

Inaugurating the administrative building of Sunapati Rural Municipality of Ramechhap on Thursday, PM Dahal expressed the hope that the long-term pact on power trade signed during the visit of Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to Nepal would help the country to make a significant shift in power trade.

Sharing that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on exporting 10,000 MW electricity to India in 10 years during his visit to India last year, PM Dahal further said the signing of the long-term agreement has opened up avenues for power trade.

"This is an achievement in itself. Doors have been opened for power trade with India and Bangladesh", he said, adding, "Electricity will also be exported to Bangladesh by using the Indian grid".

On a different note, PM Dahal said the ruling coalition has realized the need of national consensus to ensure effective operation of the parliament and conclude the transitional justice related works.

"The incumbent coalition was not founded on tiny efforts. We are committed to consolidate the coalition", he said, adding, "However, national consensus is necessary in some pertinent agendas. We want national consensus for smooth parliamentary operation and concluding remaining tasks of transitional justice".

Saying that Sunapati Rural Municipality has made remarkable progress in physical development, he appealed to the people's representatives to focus on improving the status of service delivery, education, health, agriculture, tourism and employment sectors at local level.

Meanwhile, Dahal, also the chairperson of CPN (Maoist Centre), said forms of revolution have changed with the peaceful transformation. At a program organized at Bethan Panighat in Ramechhap, "We are still in revolution as it has not yet ended. But, forms of revolution have transformed".

Chair Dahal argued that the incumbent government was moving ahead with the priority of social justice, good governance and prosperity for the establishment of socialism.

On the occasion, Dahal inaugurated the Martyr Monument.

The Election Commission has reshuffled a team of election officers it appointed earlier in view of the National Assembly election scheduled for January 25.

Most of district judges assigned prior to this to take charge as the NA election officers have been appointed as High Court judges while one has been unwell, prompting the Commission to reshuffle the team.

As per the today's decision of EC, Bishnu Prasad Gautam (Koshi Province), Chitra Bahadur Gurung (Madhesh), Shreeprasad Sanjel (Bagmati), Rhishiram Acharya (Gandaki), Kul Prasad Pandey (Lumbini), Manoj Shrestha (Karnali) and Bishnu Prasad Awasthi (Sudurpashim) have been designated as the NA election officers in the respective provinces. 

As per the election schedule, candidacy nominations for the election will be registered on January 8.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 8. 71 points to close at 2,049.28 points on Thursday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 5. 12 points to close at 379. 16 points.

A total of 16,052,101-unit shares of 303 companies were traded for Rs 5. 58 billion.

Meanwhile, Kalika power Company Ltd and Singati Hydro Energy Limited were the top gainers today with their price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Siddhartha Premier Insurance Limited was the top loser with its price dropped by 5. 56 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 18 trillion.