Nepal's Finance Minister to Visit India for Post-Flood Economic Cooperation

Nepali Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle will visit New Delhi on a two-day trip starting September 17 to discuss economic cooperation for post-flood reconstruction. Meetings with Indian finance and external affairs ministers are planned, alongside events and lectures, amid India's significant relief efforts following the August 26 Nepal floods.

Nepali Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle is poised to embark on a pivotal two-day diplomatic mission to New Delhi beginning September 17, aiming to forge stronger economic ties amidst reconstruction efforts following Nepal's devastating floods.

According to sources within Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Wagle plans to deliberate on economic cooperation with Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman and other senior officials. Further engagements are set with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, centering on the urgent need for reconstruction collaboration in the aftermath of the catastrophic floods.

The visit marks the first high-level diplomatic outreach from Nepal since the floods on August 26, which claimed 1,388 lives and inflicted substantial property damage. Minister Wagle is also expected to address the Confederation of Indian Industry and deliver a lecture at the Delhi School of Economics.

In the immediate disaster response, India emerged as a principal ally, swiftly dispatching aid and rescue operations, particularly targeting the devastated Chilime Hydropower Project in Rasuwa. Amidst the destruction, India approved significant power exports to alleviate Nepal's energy crisis due to the flood-damaged hydropower infrastructure.

India's Ministry of Power announced a green light to export up to 600 MW of electricity to the Nepal Electricity Authority from September 2026 through December 2026, assuring power stability amidst Nepal's challenging recovery.

The collaboration underscores a deep-running bilateral partnership, with India reaffirming its commitment to supporting Nepal through ongoing energy sector cooperation and recovery initiatives, underscoring a legacy of mutual regional support.