Jerusalem: Israel has called for high-level visits from Nepal to Israel to strengthen bilateral relations and expand cooperation in employment, health, education, trade, investment, tourism among others.
Michal Weiler-Tai, director of the South-East Asia Department at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said political stability following the formation of a new government in Nepal creates an opportunity for increased engagement between the two countries.
“There is a new government in Nepal and there is political stability, so we expect high-level visits from Nepal to Israel,” Weiler-Tai said during an interaction with a Nepali media delegation.
She said high-level political visits could help advance bilateral ties and open new areas of cooperation. Israel is also awaiting the appointment of Nepal’s new ambassador to Israel. Nepal is yet to appoint ambassadors to Israel and several other countries, a situation officials say could constrain diplomatic engagement and potential cooperation.
Nepal and Israel established diplomatic relations in 1960, with Nepal becoming the first South Asian country to establish formal diplomatic ties with Israel. The two countries have since maintained diplomatic relations marked by cooperation in agriculture, employment, development, security and other sectors.
Weiler-Tai also emphasized the importance of parliamentary exchanges in strengthening bilateral relations. She said interactions between lawmakers could contribute to closer ties by allowing parliamentarians to examine and monitor the work of their respective governments.
A visit by Nepali parliamentarians to Israel, however, is expected only after Israel’s October elections, according to officials.
High-level exchanges between Nepal and Israel date back to the early years of their diplomatic relations. Prime Minister Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala visited Israel, while King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah paid a state visit to Israel in 1963.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala visited Israel in 1993, during which the two countries signed a protocol of cooperation between the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce. However, high-level exchanges have declined in recent years, with no ministerial-level visits reported since 2017.
Officials have identified 2000 and 2020 as important years in the expansion of Nepal-Israel cooperation. Nepal began sending caregiver workers to Israel in 2000. In 2020, Nepal and Israel signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at establishing Agricultural Centers of Excellence in Nepal and facilitating the employment of Nepali caregivers in Israel.
The agreement was signed by Nepal’s ambassador to Israel, Dr. Anjan Shakya, and then-Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi. Under the agricultural cooperation, Centers of Excellence are planned in all seven provinces of Nepal, while the agreement also opened opportunities for Nepali workers in Israel’s care sector.
Nepali caregivers can work in areas including hospitals, nursing homes, elderly care facilities and daycare centers, while employment opportunities have also been discussed in hospitality-related sectors.
Nepal’s Embassy in Tel Aviv said recruitment under the agreement would begin after the signing of implementation protocols for individual sectors. The protocols were to be signed by the Israeli ambassador to Nepal and relevant Nepali government officials.
The two countries are also working to expand cooperation in the health sector and are discussing a possible agreement in the field. Officials see further scope for cooperation in education and tourism as well.
Tourism has emerged as another potential area of bilateral cooperation. Around 12,000 Israeli tourists visited Nepal in 2025, according to officials. Israel has also provided development assistance to Nepal in several areas, including support for the establishment of the National Construction Company of Nepal and training for Nepalese Army personnel in parachuting.
