(Photos: Courtesy of AIDIA)
Experts and policymakers from Nepal and India explored avenues for enhanced bilateral cooperation during the India-Nepal Think Tank Summit held in New Delhi recently.
The event, organized by Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) in collaboration with the Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs (AIDIA), focused on trade, energy, and regional integration.
Gaurav Ahluwalia, Joint Secretary at the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) of India, emphasized Nepal’s growing hydropower exports to India, which surged from 39 MW to 1,000 MW in the past three years. He noted this as a key step toward reducing Nepal’s trade deficit and boosting regional connectivity, citing the India-Nepal-Bangladesh power trade agreement as a milestone.
Former Indian envoys to Nepal, including Ranjit Rae and Jayanta Prasad, alongside scholars, discussed trade, digital connectivity, and security. VIF Director Dr. Arvind Gupta stressed deeper energy collaboration, while former Deputy NSA Ambassador Pankaj Saran advocated for joint tourism and media initiatives.
The Nepali delegation, led by the AIDIA, also met with Nepali Ambassador Dr. Shankar Sharma and visited IIT Delhi’s incubation center and the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII). The summit follows the AIDIA’s first Think Tank Summit held in Kathmandu (2018), reinforcing ongoing dialogue. The Summit had been held from April 2 to 5.
.
