NEW DELHI — India and Lesotho undertook a comprehensive review of their bilateral relations, placing special emphasis on development partnership, capacity building, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), and mutual coordination at the United Nations and other multilateral platforms, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Friday.
The discussions took place during the 6th session of the Joint Bilateral Commission for Cooperation (JBCC), convened in New Delhi on July 30. The meeting was co-chaired by Janesh Kain, Joint Secretary (East and Southern Africa), MEA, and Thabang Lekhela, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations of Lesotho.
During the session, both sides conducted a detailed assessment of bilateral engagements, focusing on development cooperation, capacity-building initiatives, HADR efforts, and joint strategies across international bodies.
According to an official statement issued by Lesotho’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, both delegations reaffirmed their long-standing diplomatic ties and reiterated their resolve to expand functional cooperation. The JBCC remains the principal institutional mechanism for reviewing bilateral relations, advancing cooperation across key sectors, and identifying new opportunities for mutually beneficial partnership between the two countries.
Formed under a bilateral agreement signed in March 2004, the JBCC held its inaugural session in New Delhi in March 2009. The framework serves as an alternating mechanism hosted periodically between Maseru and New Delhi to monitor progress and explore fresh avenues of collaboration.
The latest session was attended by senior government functionaries from both nations, including officials from Lesotho’s diplomatic mission in New Delhi and delegates representing sectors such as trade, education, agriculture, food security, and tourism.
The 6th session advanced several proposed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreed to sign them at the earliest opportunity. The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to advancing sustainable development through South-South cooperation and strengthening collaboration in regional and multilateral forums. India reiterated its invitation for Lesotho to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) as key platforms for cooperation in renewable energy and infrastructure resilience.
The two partner nations agreed that the 7th session of the Lesotho-India Joint Bilateral Commission of Cooperation will be held in Maseru, with mutually convenient dates to be decided through diplomatic channels. (ANI)
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