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During the session titled ‘Rethinking Development and Diplomacy in the Digital Age’ at the Kathmandu Kalinga Literary Festival, former Indian ambassador to Nepal, Ranjit Rae, emphasized the importance of credibility in diplomacy. He noted that people play a central role in influencing government decisions, pointing to recent events in Bangladesh and the 2006 people’s movement in Nepal. “People are at the center of everything. Public diplomacy has played a huge role in India-Nepal relations, not always positively. It can work both ways,” Rae remarked.

Reflecting on his tenure as ambassador during a challenging period, Rae recalled, “I was in Nepal during the constitution-writing process and the protests in Tarai.” He also mentioned his book, ‘Kathmandu Dilemma: Resetting India-Nepal Ties’, which he wrote to address misconceptions about India’s role in Nepal.

In another session titled ‘Writing as Aspiration’, Rae stressed the importance of self-research on regional history and heritage. “What is written about us in the West need not align with our own narratives. It is up to us to research and write about our history,” he said.

Brigadier General Gaurav Kumar KC, spokesperson for the Nepali Army, confirmed that Nepali peacekeepers deployed in Lebanon are safe following recent airstrikes by Israel. 

On Sunday, Israel launched air strikes into Lebanon, claiming to have thwarted a large-scale Hezbollah attack. In response, Hezbollah announced its own cross-border raids to avenge the killing of a top commander. The Israeli military reported that its fighter jets destroyed ‘thousands’ of Hezbollah rocket launchers aimed at both northern and central Israel.

Brigadier General KC stated, “Approximately 850 Nepali peacekeepers are stationed in various parts of Lebanon, but the Israeli attacks did not occur near their locations. The United Nations has already briefed the peacekeepers on safety measures, and Nepali personnel are in contact with the Nepali Army headquarters.”

The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and the UNIFIL peacekeeping force have urged all parties to cease fire and avoid further escalation. Lebanon’s health ministry reported at least three fatalities in the Israeli strikes in the country’s south, while no casualties were immediately reported in Israel.

The Indian government’s budget for the Ministry of External Affairs for the fiscal year 2024/25 has increased allocations for Nepal and Sri Lanka while reducing support for other neighboring countries. Nepal stands out as a major beneficiary, poised to receive InRs 7bn, a substantial increase of InRs 1.5bn from the previous year’s revised budget of InRs 6.5bn. 

Sri Lanka’s allocation has also risen significantly to InRs 2.45bn, an increase of InRs 0.95bn from the previous year’s InRs 1.5bn. This boost is crucial for Sri Lanka’s ongoing economic recovery, supported by India’s previous $4bn aid. 

Afghanistan and the Maldives maintain their allocations at InRs 2bn and InRs 4bn, respectively. Afghanistan’s allocation remains stable despite last year’s revised budget of InRs 2.2bn. 

The Maldives saw a notable increase in its revised budget to InRs 7.7bn, indicating ongoing support for infrastructure projects. 

Meanwhile, Bhutan and Myanmar have seen reductions in their aid. Bhutan’s allocation decreased by InRs 3.3bn—yet it still receives the largest share at InRs 20.68bn. Myanmar’s allocation dropped by InRs 1.5bn to InRs 2.5bn, compared to last year’s InRs 4bn, with InRs 3.7bn utilized. Bangladesh’s allocation decreased by InRs 0.8bn to InRs 1.2bn, with only InRs 1.3bn of the previous year’s InRs 2bn utilized. 

Similarly, Iran’s Chabahar port project continues to receive a steady allocation of InRs 1bn, unchanged for the past three years, highlighting its strategic importance for India as a gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan.

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the first full-fledged budget of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led coalition government on Tuesday. From India Inc to the middle class and job seekers, everyone has high hopes for this budget. Additionally, some policy interventions could significantly boost the country’s economic growth and tackle the growing unemployment issue.

Ahead of the budget, Prime Minister Modi asserted that this budget will lay the foundation of ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India). He also said that this is an important budget for ‘Amrit Kaal’, which means ‘great leap’, and could propel India forward on all fronts.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed the export of electricity from Nepal to Bangladesh via the Indian grid as a landmark in sub-regional energy cooperation. 

Speaking at a joint press conference with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi on Saturday, Modi emphasized that the swift implementation of such large-scale initiatives in multiple areas within just one year reflects the dynamic pace and scope of bilateral relations.

Last year, Nepal and India signed a long-term power trade agreement, which included India's consent to facilitate the sale of Nepali electricity to Bangladesh. Officials from Nepal and Bangladesh are currently finalizing the modalities of this agreement.

The joint statement underscored the commitment to expanding power and energy collaboration and developing intra-regional electricity trade. This includes competitively-priced power generated from clean energy projects in India, Nepal, and Bhutan, transmitted through the Indian electricity grid. To support this initiative, India will expedite the construction of a 765 kV high-capacity Katihar-Parbatipur-Bornagar interconnection, with suitable Indian financial assistance, to serve as a key anchor for grid connectivity.

Modi and Hasina also discussed regional issues, highlighting the potential of the India-Bangladesh relationship as a major anchor for regional and sub-regional integration under the BIMSTEC, SAARC, and IORA frameworks. They committed to working together on global platforms to advance their common interests, particularly those of the Global South.

As part of sub-regional connectivity initiatives, India will provide transit facilities for the movement of Bangladeshi goods to Nepal and Bhutan via the railway network. The two leaders also reiterated their commitment to the early operationalization of the BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement to enhance sub-regional connectivity.

Recognizing the significant contribution of their partnership to regional peace, security, and stability, India and Bangladesh reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open, inclusive, secure, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. With converging visions for the Indo-Pacific and awareness of the region's vulnerability to climate change, India and Bangladesh will co-lead the ‘Disaster Risk Reduction and Management’ pillar of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI). They will cooperate to mitigate disaster risks, build disaster-resilient infrastructure, and contribute to the sustainability of their shared maritime region.