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Nepal and India share one of the world’s most deeply rooted bilateral relationships—built on civilizational ties, open borders, cultural affinity, and economic interdependence. As the Prime Minister of Nepal prepares for an official visit to India, both countries stand at a defining moment: to transform traditional goodwill into structured economic integration driven by connectivity, trade facilitation, and shared prosperity.

Beyond diplomacy

Nepal–India relations extend far beyond formal diplomacy. They exist in the everyday lives of people—families, pilgrims, traders, students, and workers who move across an open and historically fluid border. This unique relationship is anchored in shared culture, religion, linguistic proximity, and deep social familiarity. Unlike most bilateral relationships, it operates at both state and societal levels simultaneously.
Yet while the foundation remains strong, the evolving global economy demands a shift in focus—from sentiment-driven engagement to system-driven cooperation. The challenge today is not trust, but transformation.

Proximity to prosperity

The next phase of Nepal–India relations can be captured in a simple yet powerful vision that rests on four key pillars:

• Trusted neighbours, transforming together:  A commitment to modernize relations based on mutual trust, cultural closeness, and respect, transforming historical ties into a results-oriented partnership.
• Co-creating growth across borders: Promotion of cross-border investment, industrial cooperation, and integrated value chains to drive sustainable economic development.
• Connecting economies, empowering people: Improving transport, logistics, and trade systems to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and directly benefit citizens.
• Shared heritage, shared future: Leveraging deep cultural and civilizational ties to ensure long-term regional stability and prosperity.

The engine of change

Connectivity remains the most critical pillar of Nepal–India economic relations. The efficient movement of goods, services, and people will determine the competitiveness of both economies.

Key priorities include the expansion of Integrated Check Posts (ICPs), dry ports, and cross-border rail networks. Equally important is the adoption of digital solutions—such as electronic cargo tracking and pre-arrival customs processing—to reduce delays and uncertainty.

For Nepal, where logistics costs remain relatively high, even incremental efficiency gains can significantly enhance export competitiveness and investment attractiveness.

Trade, industry and value chains

Beyond connectivity, the next frontier lies in industrial cooperation and regional value chain development. Nepal and India have strong potential to build cross-border industrial ecosystems, particularly in border regions.

Sectors such as agro-processing, light manufacturing, and high-value agricultural exports, including tea, cardamom, ginger, and honey, offer compelling opportunities for collaboration.

A transformative production model can be envisioned: ‘Produce in Nepal–Scale with India–Export Globally.’

This approach integrates Nepal into regional and global value chains while leveraging India’s scale and market access.

Regional integration: The BBIN opportunity

The BBIN (Bangladesh–Bhutan–India–Nepal) framework provides a broader platform for regional connectivity and trade expansion.

Full implementation of the BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement would enable seamless cross-border transport, significantly reducing trade costs and transit times. Improved access to Bangladeshi ports via Indian corridors would further strengthen Nepal's external trade connectivity, positioning Nepal not as a landlocked country, but as a land-linked economy embedded in a wider regional network.

Quality infrastructure and global market access

To compete globally, Nepal must strengthen its quality infrastructure—upgrading laboratories, improving accreditation systems, and establishing joint certification facilities at key border points.

Alignment with international standards such as Codex, ISO, and SPS frameworks is essential for export credibility. Mutual recognition agreements can further reduce duplication and streamline trade compliance.

Institutional coordination and private sector role

Effective implementation requires strong coordination across government agencies, including those responsible for foreign affairs, commerce, customs, and regulation.

A joint Nepal–India trade facilitation task force, supported by regular review mechanisms, can help resolve operational bottlenecks. The private sector also plays a central role—institutions such as the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, and the Nepal India Chamber must lead efforts in exporter readiness, compliance awareness, and investment facilitation.

Partnership for the future

The upcoming Prime Ministerial visit represents more than a diplomatic engagement—it is a strategic opportunity to redefine Nepal–India relations for the next generation. With connectivity, competitiveness, and coordination strengthened, Nepal can position itself as a bridge economy in South Asia, linking markets, enabling production networks, and contributing to regional prosperity.

Ultimately, the future of this partnership will depend on moving beyond sentiment toward structured economic cooperation built on trust, transparency, and shared ambition.

Nepal and India are not just neighbours—they are partners in transformation, shaping a shared future in a rapidly changing global economy.

The author is the General Secretary of Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The government has formed a four-member commission to investigate the property of political and high level government officials in the period of the last 20 years- since 2062/63BS to 2082/83BS.

The Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday decided to form the commission under the coordination of former Supreme Court judge Rajendra Kumar Bhandari. 

The commission would collect details on the property of those public officials- politicos and bureaucrats- and launch investigations accordingly.  

Members of the commission are former judges Chandiraj Dhakal and Purushottam Parajuli, former Deputy Inspector General of Nepal Police, Ganesh KC, and a chartered accountant Prakash Lamsal.

Earlier, on March 27, the government formed under Balendra Shah's premiership had decided to form the probe commission within two weeks. Even number 43 of the 100-point governance reform plan had included this matter. 

The point had mentioned that a high-powered panel would be formed under the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in a bid to end impunity and corruption by launching a probe on propriety of the high level public officials.

The investigation would be conducted based on legal criteria and evidence. 

Recommendations of the investigation would be forwarded to the concerned bodies for its enforcement.

In the last six months, Gorkhapatra Corporation has accomplished important tasks with a far-reaching impact on the institution and its employees. The Corporation has approved an O&M for the first time in its history. The total workforce has been downsized to 442 from 547 earlier.

This has paved the way for career growth of the employees working with the Corporation. After eight years, 280 employees have been promoted, generating hope and enthusiasm, and 91 vacancies have been opened to recruit fresh talent.

A total of 178 employees and journalists working on contract and wage-labour basis have been brought under the aegis of Social Security Fund to be compensated through their personal contribution. Similarly, the Working Journalist Act has been enforced with a guarantee of minimum wage to journalists as prescribed by the Act. It also applies to other employees working on contract and wage-labour basis.

Another notable achievement is the establishment of Gorkhapatra Academy,whose main goals are research, innovation, and capacity-building for journalists and employees through training and outreach. It has already started working to enhance the quality of the entire journalism sector and augment media literacy. Recently, it has also published a notice with an offer of fellowships to eligible candidates.

On 18 Dec 2025, the Corporation organized Gorkhapatra Discourse on Recovery and Resilience, offering a platform for interaction between the government and the private sector and generating hope among the concerned stakeholders. This not only generated income for the Corporation but also promoted its publications among the public.

Gorkhapatra Welfare Fund Directive 2025 has been enforced and the work procedure thereof has been prepared. It has ended uncertainty among those whose savings had been blocked for long and paved the way to release the fund of retired employees and give continuity to the scheme in case of working employees.

Lately, the Corporation has introduced the AI policy, embracing the use of AI in view of its ubiquity and using it systematically.

Gidde Press has been returned to the Corporation, which will have a positive impact on the operation of the press and publication museum.

The Corporation has initiated the process to integrate the newsroom by building a network of reporters and editors from the Gorkhapatra and The Rising Nepal. It will have a long-term positive impact on production and dissemination of news and exchange of materials between the two dailies.

The Corporation has also started disseminating news and public-service related content through WhatsApp, Viber and Messenger. This has widened readers’ access to news and begun circulating audio-visual content though social media targeting youth preparing for Public Service Commission examinations.

The Corporation has also launched a campaign to connect with the broader public. Under this initiative, the Gorkhapatra Literary Festival was organized by the Sailung Rural Municipality on 21-22 Nov 2025 with the slogan ‘Literature for Tourism. Under the policy of inclusive publication, it began publishing matters in Kulung language from 2 Nov 2025 and launched the page amid the community. Similarly, Sudurpaschim region-specific Madhupark was released from Dhangadi.

All these initiatives have been guided by the principle of ‘citizens’ voice first’ in Gorkhapatra publications. The editors enjoy clarity in editorial policy and full autonomy in their work. The Corporation has been constantly working to improve the layout and design of its publications.

As an example, all the pages of The Rising Nepal have been colored coinciding with its 61st anniversary on 1 Dec 2025 which has enhanced the quality of the newspaper.

Meanwhile the business of the Corporation has doubled in the last couple of years while the profits have gradually increased as demonstrated by the Public Enterprises Evaluation report published by the Ministry of Finance. This has been possible through direct MoUs, mostly in the G2G model, including with the Supreme Court and Public Service Commission.

The leadership plays a crucial role in steering an institution successfully and it’s no exception in case of Gorkhapatra Corporation. General Manager Lal Bahadur Airi deserves appreciation for executing these tasks successfully and leading the Corporation on the path of change and progress. Appointed to the position through an open competition in 2022, Airi is the youngest person to have reached the high post in the history of the Corporation. As the executive chief of the Corporation, he has practiced a policy to reform the state-owned publication house and make its publications citizen friendly.

Airi completed his four-year term on March 30 this year.

I have to admit I spend a lot of time thinking about big questions. Sometimes it feels a little ridiculous. I’ll sit thinking about how human history went from fire and foraging to agriculture, industry, and the infosphere. We have even left the Earth and started exploring the Moon and Mars, searching for a parallel Earth somewhere in the multiverse. And yet we are still asking the same questions our ancestors asked: What is happiness? What is a good life? Why do we suffer? Who are we? 

It sounds abstract, but it keeps coming back to me because it connects to my own country: Nepal. Our country is at a moment of enormous possibility. Young, aspiring leaders with fire inside, citizens eager to engage, and natural resources that could change lives. Yet, like the rest of human history, we face a paradox. The same curiosity, energy, and ambition that can lift us up can also trip us up if we are not careful. Human history is fascinating and ironic at the same time. Look at what we’ve done. We learned to farm, build cities, sail oceans, split atoms, and send machines to Mars. We’ve built medicine, created art, and written literature that lasts millennia. 

Progress seems unstoppable. And yet, the same questions about meaning, happiness, and the human condition remain. We build more, learn more, control more, and still we are restless, dissatisfied, always wondering what comes next. It is a pattern that repeats. We expand, we dominate, we exploit, we destroy, and then, often too late, we start chasing what we have damaged. Think of environmental crises, social inequalities, or even personal burnout. The very intelligence and curiosity that allow us to advance also make us aware of the consequences, and then we try to fix them. Sometimes we even compete over who is happier or whose peace is deeper. Human, all too human, as Nietzsche said.

Nepal is entering that story on its own scale. Young leaders, many without decades of political experience, are stepping forward. There is energy, imagination, and ambition. They see opportunities in our rivers, forests, and mountains. They see potential in our youth. They want to harness resources, create jobs, build infrastructure, and raise living standards. And they should. We cannot shy away from progress or development. Lack of education, healthcare, and employment opportunities are urgent problems. 

But here is the catch. Progress without reflection risks repeating the same patterns humanity has experienced for thousands of years. If we only chase GDP growth or short-term gains, we might achieve development in the narrow sense, but we could end up asking again in ten or twenty years: What is happiness? What is development? What kind of society have we really built? The balance between curiosity and caution is key. Curiosity is our engine. It drives innovation, ambition, and improvement. But without grounding it can become restless, compulsive, and destructive. Ambition must be paired with awareness: awareness of social consequences, environmental limits, and ethical responsibilities. 

Nepal has an advantage. We have traditional wisdom rooted in communities, culture, and history, alongside access to global knowledge and technology. If we can blend the two, there is a chance to build something unique—a society that progresses and grows, but in a humane and sustainable way. Education is a good place to start. It is not just about literacy or technical skills. We need schools and training, but we also need education that teaches curiosity alongside responsibility. Young people should learn to ask: How does this choice affect my community, my environment, my generation, and the next? Education should cultivate reflection, not just productivity. Healthcare and employment are equally foundational. People cannot innovate or think deeply if they are hungry, sick, or unemployed. 

There is also a global lesson embedded here. The Limits to Growth, the 1970s book from the Club of Rome, warned the world that unlimited growth without considering resource limits could lead to overshoot and collapse. Many dismissed it at the time. Today, climate change, deforestation, and biodiversity loss show the warning was not exaggerated. Nepal, if it grows thoughtfully, can learn from this. We can pursue development without overshoot, but only if ambition is tempered with awareness. 

Young leaders in Nepal today are experimenting with how to combine speed, technology, and engagement. Social media allows them to connect directly with citizens, bypassing slow, cumbersome traditional structures. They are learning to act quickly, make decisions, and mobilize people. This is exciting. It shows Nepal can leap forward. But governance is slower than campaigning. Building institutions, enforcing policies, and nurturing equitable development requires patience, reflection, and care. The challenge is to match curiosity and energy with deliberate, humane action. 

I like to think of this as a microcosm of the human story. The same energy that allows us to invent AI or harness hydropower can also create environmental disasters or social inequality if not guided by reflection. Nepal has a chance to get ahead of the curve. We can be ambitious without being reckless, and we can progress without repeating humanity’s mistakes. The key is integrating traditional wisdom with modern approaches. That is a rare opportunity. From my perspective, this is Nepal’s moment. We have young people who want to act, innovate, and change the world. We have resources and opportunities. We have pressing social challenges.

And we have the chance to harness curiosity responsibly. We can integrate traditional wisdom with global knowledge, speed with reflection, and ambition with ethics. It will not be easy. Mistakes will happen, frustration will arise. That is part of the process. Yes, we will continue to ask the old questions: What is happiness, what is a good life, what is progress? That is okay. That is what makes us human. Nepal has a chance to answer them in a practical, human, and sustainable way. That is a story worth telling. Because we may not fully resolve the human paradox, but we can live with it consciously, shape our societies consciously, and create spaces where curiosity, ambition, and care coexist. Right now, Nepal has that chance.