Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India, August 20 (ANI): The 14th meeting of the India-Nepal Joint Working Group on Border Management and Security began Thursday, with senior officials from the Home and Foreign Ministries of both countries holding two days of talks on cross-border security and border-related issues.
The meeting is being held at Hotel Taj in Dehradun and is focusing on cross-border crime, infiltration, smuggling and other criminal activities along the open India-Nepal border.
The discussions also include measures to strengthen security along the open border and address border-related disputes, including through the examination of historical maps.
The high-level talks are also addressing Nepal’s concerns and position regarding India-China trade through the Lipulekh Pass.
The development comes as Gen. Dhiraj Seth, Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army, undertook an official visit to Nepal from Aug. 16-19. Upon his arrival in Kathmandu on Aug. 16, Gen. Seth was received by senior officials of the Nepali Army and representatives of the Embassy of India in Kathmandu.
On Aug. 18, Gen. Seth held a courtesy call with the prime minister of Nepal, with discussions focusing on the longstanding partnership between the two countries, particularly defense cooperation.
Earlier, on Aug. 10, India’s Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava, paid a courtesy call on Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah at the Prime Minister’s Office in Singha Durbar.
The 45-minute interaction marked a significant development as Shah, who had previously maintained a policy of avoiding individual meetings with foreign diplomats, met directly with the Indian envoy.
Ambassador Srivastava conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and emphasized a shared commitment to strengthening a robust, multifaceted partnership.
The discussions focused on expanding cooperation in development projects, trade, energy and infrastructure to reinforce the deep-rooted historical and cultural ties between the two countries.
Srivastava extended his best wishes to Shah and reaffirmed India’s commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations. In response, Shah emphasized the need to deepen the historical ties between the two neighboring nations and highlighted the value of joint collaboration in areas of mutual interest.
In an official statement on the dialogue, the Nepal Prime Minister’s Office said in a post on X, “Ambassador of India to Nepal H. E. Mr. Naveen Srivastava (@navsri6619) paid a courtesy call on the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Mr. Balendra Shah (@ShahBalen) at Singhadurbar today. On the occasion, discussions were focused on further strengthening Nepal-India relations, promoting bilateral cooperation and enhancing development partnership for the mutual benefit of two countries.”
These coordinated diplomatic interactions underscore New Delhi’s commitment to sustained engagement with its South Asian neighbors, prioritizing direct communication and mutual development under the “Neighborhood First” policy.
India’s “Neighborhood First” policy is a cornerstone of its foreign policy, giving priority to diplomatic, economic and security ties with countries in its immediate South Asian neighborhood.
The approach was conceptualized in 2008 and formally institutionalized and reinvigorated under Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 to foster a peaceful, connected and mutually supportive regional environment.
The policy aims to promote regional stability, deepen economic integration and expand infrastructure connectivity with neighboring countries such as Nepal through collaborative transit corridors, shared energy networks and joint infrastructure, while managing shifting domestic political dynamics and broader strategic competition across South Asia. (ANI)
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