NICCI presents bilateral economic agenda to FM Khanal ahead of PM Shah’s New Delhi visit

KATHMANDU: Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) on Thursday presented a detailed bilateral economic agenda to Minister for Foreign Affairs Shisir Khanal. The chamber urged concrete measures to deepen trade, investment and diplomatic engagement with India ahead of the Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s planned visit to New Delhi.

A NICCI delegation led by President Sunil KC met Minister Khanal at his office in Singha Durbar. The team included Vice-President Kunal Kayal, General Secretary Rajan Sharma, Treasurer Kiran Malla and senior private sector representatives from Asian Paints, Nepal SBI Bank, Care Ratings Nepal, Dabur Nepal and Goldstar Stride, together with NICCI Director Marshal Rathour and Executive Secretary Khushi Shrestha.

NICCI President KC congratulated Minister Khanal on his appointment and recalled the chamber’s long-standing role in shaping Nepal-India economic ties, noting NICCI’s involvement in past renewals of the Nepal-India Trade Treaty and the Nepal-India Transit Treaty.

The delegation proposed several items for inclusion in the Prime Minister’s bilateral agenda. Chief among them is a CEO round table in New Delhi during the visit, to connect Nepali business leaders with Indian executives and potential investors to discuss projects and investment opportunities.

NICCI also urged an expansion of Nepal’s diplomatic and trade presence in India, recommending the establishment of consulate-general offices or trade representative offices in Mumbai and Bengaluru. The proposal cited trade patterns showing that roughly 80% of Nepal’s exports go to India, 60% of imports originate from India, and about 85% of third-country trade transits through Indian ports, including Kolkata, Haldia and Visakhapatnam.

In addition, the chamber recommended creating a formal economic diplomacy mechanism with structured private sector participation focused on export promotion, investment outreach and tourism branding. It proposed forming a Foreign Investors’ Council under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) to coordinate with diplomatic missions and facilitate inbound investment. NICCI said it plans to open a contact office in New Delhi to support investment promotion, trade facilitation and tourism outreach, and sought backing from the Government of Nepal and the Embassy of Nepal in New Delhi.

Minister Khanal received the proposals positively and expressed appreciation for NICCI’s sustained contributions to Nepal-India economic engagement. He welcomed the idea of an investors’ council and an expanded diplomatic footprint in India. Both sides affirmed their commitment to closer coordination between the ministry and the private sector in the run-up to the Prime Minister’s visit.