New Delhi: Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and his Nepalese counterpart, Anil Kumar Sinha, held a high-level bilateral meeting in New Delhi on Thursday to strengthen economic and trade ties, enhance cooperation, and boost cross-border partnerships.
During the meeting, both sides exchanged a letter of exchange (LoE) amending the protocol to the Treaty of Transit between the two countries. The amendment paves the way for seamless rail-based freight movement between Jogbani (India) and Biratnagar (Nepal), expanding the definition to include bulk cargo alongside containerized goods.
The new arrangement extends to key trade corridors — Kolkata-Jogbani, Kolkata-Nautanwa (Sunauli) and Visakhapatnam-Nautanwa (Sunauli) — enhancing multimodal logistics connectivity for Nepal’s international trade through Indian ports.
The LoE also formalizes direct rail connectivity via the Jogbani-Biratnagar rail link, allowing movement of cargo from the ports of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam directly to Nepal’s Biratnagar customs yard in Morang District. The rail link, built with grant assistance from the Government of India, was inaugurated jointly by the Prime Ministers of both countries in June 2023.
The ministers also reviewed progress on cross-border infrastructure projects, including integrated check posts (ICPs) and other trade facilitation measures aimed at improving efficiency and reducing logistics costs.
With India continuing to be Nepal’s largest trade and investment partner, the expanded transit arrangements are expected to boost bilateral trade, attract new investment, and enhance regional supply chain connectivity, strengthening Nepal’s access to global markets.
“The liberalized transit framework reflects the deep trust and partnership between India and Nepal and will open up new avenues for regional economic integration,” a senior official said after the meeting.