Indian Additional Secretary Munu Mahawar Intensifies Diplomatic Engagements in Kathmandu as Nepal Heads Toward Elections
Nepal Aaja – International News Report

With Nepal’s general elections only a few months away, Munu Mahawar, India’s Additional Secretary (North) at the Ministry of External Affairs and widely regarded in New Delhi as a “Nepal expert”, has arrived in Kathmandu for a series of high-level diplomatic meetings. Analysts in Kathmandu and New Delhi view his visit as timely and strategically significant.

Mahawar participated in the grand India–Nepal Cultural Festival in Lumbini on the second day of his arrival, highlighting cultural diplomacy at a symbolic Buddhist site. Immediately afterward, he held a succession of courtesy calls with Nepal’s top political and administrative leadership in Kathmandu.

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A Full Slate of High-Level Meetings: From the Prime Minister to the Foreign Secretary

Additional Secretary Mahawar met the following dignitaries during his visit:

1) Prime Minister Sushila Karki

The discussion focused on the progress of India–Nepal cooperation and the potential for deeper regional engagement in the coming months.

2) Finance and Federal Affairs Minister Rameshore Khanal

Talks covered economic coordination, fiscal stability, customs reforms, and improving Nepal’s investment climate.

3) Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation; Urban Development; and Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Kulman Ghising

Key areas included hydropower development, cross-border transmission lines, electricity trade, and major infrastructure projects supported by India.

4) Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal

The meeting touched on cross-border security, criminal activity prevention, and enhanced coordination among security agencies.

5) Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supply; Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs; and Land Management, Cooperative and Poverty Alleviation, Anil Kumar Sinha

Discussions centered on trade facilitation, Indian investment, industrial cooperation, and reforms in the legal and business environment.

6) Minister for Information and Communication Technology, Jagdish Kharel

Key topics reportedly included digital cooperation, cybersecurity, broadcast technology, and cross-border communications policy.

7) Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai

The dialogue focused on bilateral diplomacy, upcoming high-level visits, and strengthening long-term strategic frameworks of partnership.

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Signals of Stability and Positive Momentum in India–Nepal Relations

Joint summaries shared by India’s MEA and Nepal’s ministries describe Mahawar’s engagements as an indicator of “steady progress and expanding cooperation” between the two countries.

Priority areas for upcoming months include:

Energy trade and hydropower collaboration

Infrastructure development

Trade route facilitation

Cultural and people-to-people exchanges

Security cooperation

These themes reflect a broad and deepening bilateral agenda.

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A Strategic Visit as Elections Approach: What Message Does It Send?

Observers note that Nepal is navigating a delicate period marked by political transition, Gen-Z–led civic mobilizations, and an approaching electoral cycle. In this context, India’s decision to dispatch a seasoned Nepal specialist like Mahawar is viewed as a deliberate diplomatic signal.

Analysts say the visit suggests India seeks to maintain a stable, balanced, and infrastructure-focused partnership with Nepal during a politically sensitive phase.

Mahawar’s wide-ranging meetings indicate that New Delhi intends to strengthen cooperation across multiple sectors while supporting continuity in bilateral engagement as Nepal prepares for elections.

Munu Mahawar Steps Up Kathmandu Diplomacy