Kathmandu: India is celebrating its 79th Independence Day today. On this occasion, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava extended a message of goodwill, underscoring the growing partnership between the two neighboring nations.

Delivering his message from the Indian Embassy in Lainchaur, Kathmandu, Ambassador Srivastava highlighted that India’s development journey has been reflected in its dynamic Neighborhood First Policy. He stated that Nepal-India relations are evolving from a millennia-old civilizational bond into a modern strategic partnership.

The Embassy of India in Kathmandu observed the occasion with a celebration on Friday morning, marking the day with formal events and diplomatic gatherings.

Ambassador Srivastava's message:

On the occasion of India's 79th Independence Day, I would like to extend warm greetings to my Indian friends and friends of India. India's journey to become a developed nation in the future is also reflected in a more dynamic Neighborhood First Policy, whose guiding principle is 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prashas'. This is also reflected in our relationship with Nepal, where millennia-old civilizational ties are being transformed into a modern partnership for mutual benefit.

The meeting of our Prime Ministers on the sidelines of the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok in April 2025, the meeting between our Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of the Indian Ocean Summit in Oman in February 2025 and the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi in March 2025, and the high-level meetings between the leaders of India and Nepal, along with several ministerial visits from both countries in the last few months, are testaments to the strong bond of friendship between our two countries. These meetings have yielded fruitful outcomes in the context of the meetings of important bilateral mechanisms between India and Nepal.

As Nepal’s largest trading partner and largest source of foreign investment and tourism, India has been and will remain a privileged partner in Nepal’s economic development journey.

The construction of roads, bridges and rail links has facilitated mobility and transportation. The interoperability between India’s UPI and Nepal’s PhonePe has facilitated digital payments, which has also supported bilateral tourism. Cooperation in the energy sector, especially in the development of new hydropower projects, trade and the inauguration of new transmission lines have supported sustainable energy growth on both sides. Electricity exports from Nepal to India and Bangladesh via the Indian grid have proved to be a milestone in regional energy cooperation. Electricity exports have been beneficial for Nepal, as Nepal has earned over NPR 17 billion in revenue.

The rapid progress and sustained pace of several infrastructure and development projects, carefully selected in line with Nepal’s priorities and taken forward with India’s assistance, reflects India’s unwavering commitment to Nepal’s development. In the past one year, several development projects, including schools, hospitals and health posts, have been inaugurated.

Our two governments are working to ensure the early completion of various ongoing infrastructure and connectivity projects, including new inter-state railway links, additional integrated check posts and petroleum pipelines.

Whenever natural disasters have hit Nepal hard, whether it is the 2023 Jajarkot earthquake or the September 2024 floods, India has been at the forefront of providing assistance to Nepal.

We are working closely with our Nepali partners to further expand our cooperation in areas such as agriculture, health, capacity building, education, the startup sector, space and sports, especially cricket. In this regard, MoUs have been signed recently for cooperation in the areas of energy, agriculture, water supply and sanitation (habitat).

The Indian community in Nepal has played a significant and commendable role in this endeavor. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the community for their unwavering support for the Embassy's initiatives aimed at further strengthening the ties between our two nations.

I extend my warmest greetings to all of you on the occasion of a joyous and memorable 79th Independence Day. Jai Hind.

(Nabin Srivastava)