Additional Secretary (North) at India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Munu Mahawar, recently visited Nepal and met with Minister for Foreign Affairs Shisir Khanal and Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai. Discussions during the meetings focused on strengthening cooperation between India and Nepal in various sectors to enhance their partnership. Mahawar was part of the Indian delegation at the 13th Nepal-India Joint Steering Committee meeting on Power Sector Cooperation in Pokhara.
Both sides reviewed their collaboration in the power sector, including hydropower development and cross-border electricity trade, during the Joint Steering Committee meeting. They also discussed the operation of Indian and Nepali power grids, solar energy projects, green hydrogen cooperation, and capacity building for Nepali energy professionals. Additionally, they agreed to expedite work on new high-capacity cross-border transmission line projects.
The two countries agreed to boost electricity trading through two cross-border transmission line projects, allowing Nepal to export up to 1,650 MW of electricity to India and import up to 1,400 MW. These transmission lines, Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur and Dhalkebar-Sitamarhi 400 kV cross-border links, play a crucial role in facilitating this energy exchange. The Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line has been operational since 2016, while the Dhalkebar-Sitamarhi line is nearing completion.
SJVN Arun-3 Power Development Company, a subsidiary of India’s SJVN Limited, is actively involved in the construction of the Dhalkebar-Sitamarhi transmission line as part of the 900 MW Arun III Hydropower Project in eastern Nepal. Power Secretary Agarwal and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava recently visited the project site to assess progress. The Arun III project, the largest undertaken by an Indian company in Nepal, is close to completion, as confirmed by Nepali officials.
