Kathmandu/Pokhara: The 13th meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Working Group (JWG) at the joint secretary level on the energy sector is set to begin in Pokhara today, with the aim of further strengthening the growing trust, cooperation, and partnership between the two countries. Key agenda items include expanding cross-border power transmission infrastructure, facilitating electricity trade, exploring opportunities for increased electricity exports from Nepal to India, and reviewing the implementation of previous bilateral agreements.
The Nepali delegation is led by Sandip Kumar Dev, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, while the Indian delegation is headed by Pankaj Kumar, Joint Secretary in charge of the transmission sector at India’s Ministry of Power.
According to Joint Secretary Dev, the meeting will focus on making Nepal-India energy cooperation more effective. Priority discussions will include the construction of new cross-border transmission lines, facilitating additional electricity exports from Nepal to India, expanding bilateral power trade, and reviewing the implementation status of decisions made at previous meetings.
Energy cooperation between Nepal and India has expanded significantly in recent years. As Nepal continues to export its surplus monsoon electricity to the Indian market, the need to strengthen cross-border transmission infrastructure has also increased. To address this growing demand, both countries have been institutionalizing their energy partnership through regular bilateral mechanisms.
The current meeting is being viewed as a continuation of the decisions made during the 12th meeting of the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) held in New Delhi last year. That meeting reviewed the recommendations of the preceding Joint Working Group and made important decisions to expand cross-border transmission infrastructure, facilitate electricity trade, and strengthen long-term energy cooperation.
Among the key decisions taken at the time was increasing the import-export capacity of the operational Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur 400 kV cross-border transmission line from 800 MW to 1,000 MW. The two sides also agreed to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Chameliya-Jauljibi 220 kV transmission line, jointly develop the Inaruwa-Purnia and Dododhara-Bareilly 400 kV cross-border transmission lines under a joint investment model, build additional transmission infrastructure to support higher electricity exports, and further streamline export approvals.
According to ministry sources, the 13th Joint Working Group meeting in Pokhara is expected to accelerate the implementation of these decisions. With Nepal’s electricity generation capacity expanding rapidly, India’s growing demand for clean energy, and increasing prospects for a regional electricity market, the meeting is expected to focus on making bilateral energy cooperation more practical, effective, and results-oriented.
Nepal and India established the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) at the secretary level and the Joint Working Group (JWG) at the joint secretary level under the Power Trade Agreement signed in 2014. These two mechanisms have served as common platforms for sustaining bilateral energy cooperation, resolving implementation issues, and identifying new areas for future collaboration.
The 13th JWG meeting in Pokhara is expected to mark another significant step in elevating Nepal-India energy relations to a new level of trust, mutual benefit, and long-term partnership. As both countries continue to prioritize clean energy, infrastructure development, and regional electricity trade, the energy sector believes the meeting will further accelerate that shared journey.
Following today’s JWG meeting, a secretary-level JSC meeting will be held tomorrow. The meeting will endorse the recommendations made by the Joint Working Group and provide further guidance to the various bilateral mechanisms. The Nepali delegation at the JSC meeting will be led by Sarita Dawadi, Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation.
Nepal-India energy cooperation is now guided by a clear long-term objective. The two countries are jointly pursuing a target of exporting 10,000 MW of electricity from Nepal to India over the next 10 years. To achieve this goal, both sides are working simultaneously to expand generation capacity, cross-border transmission infrastructure, market access, and policy coordination. The Joint Working Group meeting in Pokhara is being viewed as another important milestone toward implementing this long-term vision.
The Government of Nepal has also set ambitious targets for the energy sector. Under its Energy Development Roadmap, the country aims to increase its installed electricity generation capacity to 28,500 MW by 2035. As generation capacity expands, electricity trade with India, stronger cross-border transmission infrastructure, and deeper integration with the regional energy market will become increasingly important for converting that capacity into economic opportunities.
Accelerating Nepal’s energy development has also emerged as a political priority. The ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) included a target of producing 30,000 MW of electricity in its election manifesto. The party’s emphasis on expanding generation capacity alongside the development of transmission infrastructure and export markets reflects Nepal’s growing focus on regional energy cooperation.
Nepal’s long-term ambition to become a regional hub for clean energy, combined with India’s vast and growing demand for electricity, has transformed the partnership between the two countries. Increasingly, both governments view their energy cooperation not merely as a bilateral initiative, but as a shared pathway toward regional energy security, connectivity, and sustainable economic prosperity.
Jalasarokar
