Jaishankar to participate in 5th Nepal-India Joint Commission meeting

Kathmandu: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to visit Nepal this week to participate in the fifth meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission to review the overall state of bilateral relations.

The meeting is taking place in Kathmandu from August 21 to 22, a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nepal has said.

Jaishankar will co-chair the meeting along with his Nepalese counterpart Pradeep Kumar Gyawali.

The joint meeting will review "the overall state of bilateral relations, and various areas of cooperation such as connectivity and economic partnership, trade and transit, power and water resources sectors, culture, education and other matters of mutual interest", the statement said.

Established in 1987, the Nepal-India Joint Commission's meetings are being held alternately in Nepal and India. The last meeting of the Commission was held in New Delhi on October 2016.

During the visit, Jaishankar will pay courtesy calls on President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister K P Oli.

Pradeep Kumar Gyawali will host a dinner in honour of the External Affairs Minister of India, the statement said.

Jaishankar is scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu on August 21 and will return home on August 22, the statement said.