India ready to support Nepal’s post-flood reconstruction, says Indian Foreign Secretary

India has expressed its readiness to support Nepal’s reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts following the devastating Bhotekoshi floods, with New Delhi open to considering specific assistance requests and project proposals from Kathmandu. Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri conveyed this during bilateral talks with his Nepali counterpart Amrit Bahadur Rai in Kathmandu on Wednesday, where the two sides also discussed preparations for Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s upcoming visit to India later this month.

Acknowledging the extensive damage caused by the floods to Nepal’s infrastructure, Misri said India was prepared to consider proposals as Nepal moves towards reconstruction and rehabilitation. “We recognise, however, that the flood caused extensive damage to Nepal’s infrastructure. We look forward to receiving further details and discussing the matter with the Nepalese leadership,” Misri said.

He added that the issue had been discussed previously and that New Delhi was open to considering specific requests from Kathmandu as it draws up its recovery plans. Misri described India-Nepal relations as unique, saying the two countries had stood by each other through both favourable and difficult circumstances. He said India's assistance following the Bhotekoshi floods reflected the longstanding ties between the neighbours and their commitment to supporting each other during difficult times.

The talks also focused on preparations for Shah’s proposed visit to India later this month, with both sides discussing key initiatives and ways to advance bilateral cooperation. Rai said the two countries had been in regular contact and close coordination in preparation for the high-level visit.

“In today's meeting, we will have substantive discussions on preparations for the upcoming high-level visit of the Prime Minister of Nepal to India later this month. Your visit will be instrumental in laying the groundwork,” Rai said. Misri said the two sides had a detailed agenda to discuss, including initiatives India wanted to see progress on in the context of Shah’s visit.

He also credited continued engagement between the two countries with helping resolve long-pending issues and advance key initiatives, while praising officials on both sides for their efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation. Earlier, Misri paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the ministry, the meeting focused on further deepening the multifaceted partnership and strengthening longstanding ties between Nepal and India.