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DTSTART:20260806T083000Z
DTEND:20260806T123000Z
DTSTAMP:20260902T133502Z
URL:https://chanakyauniversity.edu.in/events/report-on-india-nepal-relatio
 ns-reimagining-the-partnership/
SUMMARY:A Report on Webinar - India–Nepal Relations: Reimagining the
 Partnership
DESCRIPTION:A Joint Webinar between \nSubhas Chandra Bose Chair of
 International Relations\, Chanakya University\, Bengaluru \n&amp\;\nNepal
 Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE Nepal)\,
 Kathmandu \nAugust 06\, 2026 | 1400 to 1800 hrs \nChanakya University\,
 Bengaluru\nExecutive Summary\nThe geopolitical uncertainties arising out of
 the ongoing political transition in Nepal necessitated the timely conduct
 of this webinar on reimagining the partnership between India Nepal. The
 bilateral relation\, traditionally built upon a legacy of history and
 culture\, is witnessing a realignment of sorts. The key consensus across
 strategic community is that the partnership should transform from its stage
 of "untapped potential" to "functional delivery" in order to stay
 relevant.\nThe webinar identified four core pillars which are instrumental
 in reimagining India Nepal partnership:\n\n\n 	\nThe Evolution of
 Neighbourhood First 2.0: From summit diplomacy to delivery-focused and
 institutionalized form.\n\n 	\nEconomic Delivery and
 Connectivity: Hydropower\, digital integration and physical connectivity
 as the structural foundation of political stability.\n\n 	\nStrategic
 Management of the China Variable: Leveraging India’s natural
 sociocultural strengths and structural interdependence by solving the
 problem of "delivery gap" which invites external players into the game.\n\n
 	\nThe Institutionalization of People-to-People Relations: From "inherited
 trust" to building modern mechanisms of education\, skills exchange and
 youth engagement.\n\n\nSession 1\nThe "Neighbourhood First 2.0" Framework
 and Its Implications for Nepal\nProf. Ashok K. Kantha’s keynote address
 highlighted that India’s strategic destiny remains tied to its immediate
 neighbourhood. Nevertheless\, "Neighbourhood First" policy is in need of a
 "2.0" upgrade in view of present demographic situation and breakdown of the
 global rules-based order. The rise of a confident and self-reliant national
 leadership in Nepal requires that New Delhi goes beyond classical narrative
 into the territory of strategic equals. The move towards a modernized
 framework calls for the analysis of the following limitations of the 1.0
 era:\n\n\n 	\nImplementation Lag and "Over-Securitisation": The tradition
 of diplomacy being summit-driven and perceived through the lens of security
 or domestic politics resulted in persistent gap where declarative diplomacy
 always outstripped delivery on ground.\n\n 	\nIntegration
 Stagnation: Intra-regional trade is still underdeveloped\, standing at
 paltry 5%\, owing to underused private sector cooperation and multilateral
 mechanisms.\n\n 	\nDiplomatic High-Handedness: There is a need to overcome
 terminology of being a "net security provider" which can alienate sovereign
 partners.\n\n\nNew Diplomatic "Mula Mantra"\nTo become the first responder
 in the region again\, Prof. Kantha offered the following fundamental change
 of diplomatic posture: "India’s guiding principle in the neighbourhood
 must be: ask first\, deliver fast\, and never brag." This humble approach
 is meant to replace perception of being a "big brother" with a "sticky"
 network of co-dependency. The focus on delivery "nuts and bolts" will help
 to build a sustainable partnership which is difficult for outsiders to
 unravel.\nSession 2\nEconomic Partnership and Physical Connectivity: From
 Potential to Delivery \nThe second session of the webinar\, titled
 “Economic Partnership and Connectivity – From Potential to
 Delivery”\, was chaired by Prof. (Dr). Chetan Singai\, Dean\, School of
 Law\, Governance and Public Policy\, Chanakya University\, Bengaluru. The
 speakers for the session included Dr. Prabir De\, Professor at Research and
 Information System for Developing Countries (RIS)\, and Dr. Saurabh
 Kaushik\, Research Fellow\, Subhas Chandra Bose Chair of International
 Relations from India. The third presenter\, Dr. Govind Raj Pokharel
 participating online from Nepal had served as the Vice Chairperson of the
 National Planning Commission at Nepal.\nThe session examined how
 India-Nepal economic partnership and connectivity can progress from
 potential to delivery. In his opening remarks\, the Chair highlighted the
 deep civilisational ties\, open border and people-to-people linkages that
 provide a strong foundation to India-Nepal bilateral relations. However\,
 the existing political goodwill also needs to be translated into tangible
 economic outcomes\, which can be achieved through advancing physical
 connectivity through railways\, roads\, hydropower and energy. Besides\,
 institutional\, regulatory and governance reforms can address persistent
 barriers to economic growth and connectivity and improve implementation.
 The discussion also placed the India-Nepal bilateral relationship within
 the broader context of regional integration initiatives such as the BBIN
 and the BIMSTEC. In his closing remarks\, the Chair mentioned that the
 session aimed to identify practical ways to ease frictions\, strengthen
 formal and institutional mechanisms and ensure timely delivery of outcomes
 that will contribute towards shared prosperity between India and
 Nepal.\nDr. Prabir De\, Professor at Research and Information System for
 Developing Countries (RIS) \nThe key theme of the presentation by Dr.
 Prabir De discussed ‘From Potential to Delivery of India Nepal Trade and
 Connectivity’ in great depth. The discussion highlighted that India’s
 economic relations with Nepal are deeply integrated but at the same time
 also asymmetric. Nepal’s widening trade deficit and increasing dependence
 on India were particularly pointed. To address these issues\, he emphasised
 on the need to focus on improved connectivity and infrastructure\, greater
 diversification and integration of value chains\, as this will be mutually
 beneficial to both India and Nepal. Furthermore\, energy cooperation\,
 digital trade facilitation and stronger regional institutions can help in
 addressing the existing connectivity challenges and substantially improve
 Nepal and India’s bilateral trade and overall relations.\nDr. De
 presented several arguments highlighting the current state of physical and
 economic connectivity between India and Nepal. One\, Nepal’s trade
 deficit with India has widened and it imports much more from India than it
 exports. Two\, Nepal’s landlocked geography and its dependence on Indian
 transit have naturally turned India into Nepal’s dominant trading
 partner. Three\, although there is some progress in this regard\, trade
 facilitation still remains a weakness for Nepal\, especially when compared
 to India and Thailand’s advanced paperless and contact less border
 trade.\nAfter the explanation of the impediments to connectivity\, Dr. De
 highlighted some encouraging signs in terms of progress towards better
 infrastructure connectivity such as the Motihari-Amlekhganj petroleum
 pipeline which is an example of sustainable and quality infrastructure. He
 also mentioned that Nepal’s large hydropower has the potential to
 generate substantial export earnings by utilizing the expanding electricity
 transmissions networks. Dr. De recommended scaling up energy cooperation\,
 promoting seamless digital trade\, timely completion of key connectivity
 projects such as the Raxaul-Kathmandu railway line and strengthening
 testing and certification processes and simplifying customs
 procedures.\nDr. Govind Pokharel\, Former Vice Chairperson\, NPC\,
 Nepal\nThe discussion by Dr. Govind Pokharel highlighted the need to deepen
 and institutionalise Nepal-India economic partnership. In order to
 facilitate their future economic relations\, hydropower and energy trade
 are the central pillars. The speaker discussed that Nepal can significantly
 increase export revenues by expanding electricity generation that will
 ensure predictable and long-term access to markets in India and Bangladesh.
 He mentioned that hydropower is Nepal’s most valuable export opportunity
 as it has substantial hydropower potential. A further expansion to over
 20\,000 MW will make the electricity exports a major contributor to the
 country’s national revenue.\nDr. Pokharel argued that heavy reliance on
 short-term and open electricity markets has created revenue uncertainty for
 Nepal. Long-term PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements) are required to ensure
 stable and predictable export earnings. He highlighted the need for Nepal
 and India to have institutional mechanisms for equitable sharing of
 benefits\, such as from the Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project which can
 generate benefits beyond electricity. The key challenges to deeper
 connectivity identified by Dr. Pokharel included transport costs\,
 logistical constraints and non-tariff barriers within India that have
 increased the cost of Nepal’s exports and weakened their competitiveness.
 He also pointed out institutional and human-capacity constraints including
 limited bureaucratic capacity when it comes to project implementation and
 investment facilitation which has limited Nepal’s ability to benefit from
 bilateral economic opportunities.\nDr. Pokharel recommended Indian
 companies to establish joint ventures with firms in Nepal to support the
 country’s industrialisation and diversify Nepal’s production base. He
 also recommended establishing long-term electricity purchase agreements
 covering a substantial share\, creating fair rules for third country
 involvement by separating project ownership and investment from the
 nationality of contractors and consultants\, encouraging private sector
 participation in electricity generation and trade\, and investing in
 capacity building using bilateral cooperation resources to train Nepalese
 bureaucrats in negotiation\, procurement and finance.\nDr. Saurabh
 Kaushik\, Research Fellow\, SCB Chair on IR\, Chanakya University\nIn his
 presentation\, Dr. Saurabh Kaushik highlighted that India is Nepal’s
 dominant trading partner\, accounting for around 63% of Nepal’s total
 trade while India’s exports to Nepal have grown substantially between
 2004-05 and 2024-25\, mainly through sale of manufactured goods. Dr.
 Kaushik highlighted that with an aim to improve connectivity between the
 two countries\, Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) such as the Raxaul (Bihar) -
 Birgunj (Nepal)\, Rupaidiha (UP) - Nepalgunj (Nepal)\, among a few others\,
 have been operationalised to streamline border infrastructure. Moreover\,
 there are three operational rail corridors\, particularly
 Jainagar–Kurtha/Bijalpura and Raxaul–Sirsiya\, which provide passenger
 and freight connectivity\, and also support trade\, tourism\, pilgrimage\,
 and access to Indian ports. Proposed corridors such as Raxaul–Kathmandu
 and Nautanwa–Bhairahawa could further integrate Nepal’s major economic
 and tourist centres\, including Lumbini\, into the regional transport
 network.\nThe speaker further discussed 15 major cross-border transit
 points that facilitate agricultural exchange\, local trade\, passenger
 movement\, and regional commerce. Some of these major gateways include
 Raxaul\, Jogbani\, and Jainagar supported by road and rail connectivity.
 These integrated checkpoints can streamline the institutionalised
 cross-border movement by grouping the customs\, immigration\, and
 warehousing into a single window terminal. Dr. Kaushik highlighted that
 energy cooperation with increasing cross-border electricity trade has
 created a growing source of revenue for Nepal and has strengthened regional
 energy integration\, while preferential tariffs on imports from India
 compared with third-country imports have encouraged bilateral trade.\nAmong
 the major recommendations mentioned by Dr. Kaushik\, the primary one
 related to automating the customs procedures through digital systems that
 will help prevent duty evasion and improve regulatory and environmental
 compliance. Digitisation will also reduce transit times by integrating
 customs\, tracking\, and terminal operations across the logistics chain.
 Another key recommendation was to expand and integrate the cross-border
 infrastructure\, especially railways\, roads and integrated check-posts.
 The speaker also recommended simplifying Nepal’s investment environment.
 This can be ensured by improving land acquisition\, royalty structures\,
 FDI procedures\, local benefit sharing and dispute resolution mechanisms in
 order to attract more Indian private investment. Finally\, like India\, it
 was recommended that Nepal should operationalise a nationwide multi-modal
 tracking database across all border points\, to create a seamless
 interoperable framework that will facilitate bringing significant share of
 informal trade under systematic monitoring thereby enabling more effective
 tracking of cross-border trade flows.\nSession 3\nNepal’s Political
 Transition\, The China Variable\, and India’s Strategic Space\nThe
 session was Chaired by Prof. Ashok K. Kantha and included speakers such as
 Amb. Ranjit Rae\, Dr. Nihar Nayak\, Dr. Pramod Jaiswal and Amb. Dr. Dinesh
 Bhattarai. This session analysed strategic imperatives of the India-Nepal
 bilateral relationship and the geopolitical landscape within which it is
 situated. The session involved a discussion of the internal political and
 structural changes in Nepal\, and the new strategic context created by the
 increasing involvement of China in Nepal’s internal affairs\, along with
 the intense rivalry between Beijing and Washington acting as the backdrop
 in global politics. This session also examined how a new emerging
 generation of political leaders in Nepal attempt to manage their
 international alliances keeping development and effective domestic
 governance as their main priority.\nDr. Pramod Jaiswal\, Research
 Director\, Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement
 (NIICE) \nDr. Pramod Jaiswal began his remarks on the theme of the session
 by highlighting Nepal’s many political transitions since the 1950s.
 However\, he remarked that the present-day domestic actors are much more
 vocal in diversifying the country's foreign policy to serve economic
 interests. Dr. Jaiswal stated that China made an aggressive move in
 Nepal’s politics after the 2008 Beijing Olympics by creating contacts at
 all possible levels - specifically with the communists - to safeguard its
 security interests. He added that the geographic position of Nepal has
 hindered the possibility for it to ride on the back of the growth of its
 neighbours because it borders the remote and backward areas of both India
 and China\, not major economic zones.\nDr. Jaiswal further added that the
 current Nepali government gives priority to development diplomacy\,
 approaching all international partners equally according to their abilities
 to provide tangible development and economic benefits. He recommended India
 to accept and adapt to new economic expectations and aspirations of Nepal
 in terms of infrastructure\, noting that Nepal needs to strike a balanced
 position respectful of China's sensitivities—in particular\, the
 One-China principle - and preserving its national sovereignty and strategic
 independence.\nDr. Nihar R. Nayak\, Associate Professor\, University of
 Delhi\nDr. Nihar Nayak opened his remarks by stating that India has been
 traditionally playing a prominent and visible role in midwifing major
 political transitions in Nepal\, while China has largely remained a silent
 spectator in critical moments of regime change. Historically\, Nepal's
 involvement with China was caused by the fact that Nepal sought to use
 Beijing geopolitically to balance and neutralise Indian influence.
 However\, the post-monarchy period saw China changing to an active
 multi-level strategy\, including ODA\, technical assistance\, local
 security measures and structural funding for border districts in connection
 with Tibetan migrants.\nDr. Nayak noted that China does not have a hostile
 attitude towards India in Nepal but is compelled to increase its stakes
 because of growing Western interference and footprints in the region. He
 recommended that India conduct its relations with Nepal confidently\,
 playing on its natural economic strengths\, sociocultural and strategic
 interests\, instead of competing with China and the US there.\nAmb. Dr.
 Dinesh Bhattarai\, Foreign Affairs Advisor to the former Prime Minister of
 Nepal Sushil Koirala\; Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the United
 Nations\nAmb. Dinesh Bhattarai opened his remarks by noting that Nepal is
 going through a twin transition: the internal one related to a political
 shift to a youth majority government and a structural one associated with
 breaking up of post-WWII international rules-based order. He mentioned that
 India is Nepal's nearest neighbour\, biggest economic partner and main
 facilitator for transit\, of which there is no equivalence.\nAmb. Bhattarai
 argued that the economic boom experienced by China allows it to expand its
 interest from mere economics into much more serious institutional and
 party-state level dealings. Unfortunately\, he added\, the untrustworthy
 profile of China’s relationship with Nepal remains intact\, as the mere
 closeness of countries does not necessarily mean an understanding of
 political realities. Amb. Bhattarai recommended that both India and Nepal
 should establish a process that would encourage regular interactions
 through their existing list of more than 40 bilateral mechanisms to address
 the spoilers and irritants in the relationship\, proposing that all future
 actions should be implemented on the basis of mutual trust\, reciprocity in
 the sphere of territorial security\, and the guarantee that no hostile
 actions against the other party would be carried out from each other's
 territory.\nAmbassador Ranjit Rae\, Former Ambassador of India to Nepal\,
 Vietnam\, and Hungary\nAmb. Ranjit Rae\, at the outset\, mentioned that
 India-Nepal relations are of a special nature\, and frictions are expected
 to happen occasionally. He cautioned that instead of avoiding these
 friction points\, India and Nepal should learn to manage them properly.
 Amb. Rae observed that the actions carried out by China in South Asia
 cannot be analysed without taking into consideration its duel with the U.S
 on a global scale. He noted that the political change in Nepal this time is
 distinct due to its pragmatic nature\, where ideology plays a secondary
 role\, whereas what actually takes precedence is the natural desire for
 anti-corruption and good governance initiated by the youth.\nAmb. Rae
 argued that the decrease in the influence of the left parties in Nepal
 creates space for New Delhi to have a more favourable perspective related
 to Nepal. He recommended that India should continue to have confidence in
 its cooperation with Nepal and place an emphasis on the relationship rather
 than focusing on other countries and actors\, proposing that Indian
 policymakers should concentrate on solving the problem of implementation\,
 which has led to the notion that the promises offered by India cannot be
 translated into actions.\nSession 4\nPeople-to-People Ties\, Youth
 Engagement\, Development Cooperation\, and Soft Power\nThis panel was
 Chaired by Amb. Ranjit Rae and examined the human dimension of the
 India–Nepal relationship — people-to-people ties\, youth engagement\,
 development cooperation\, and soft power. The speakers for this session
 were Prof (Dr.) Chetan Singai\, Ms. Puspa Kumari\, Mr. Bibek Dhoj Thapa and
 Ms. Tanuja Pandey. Speakers discussed converting “inherited trust” into
 institutional trust through universities\, skills frameworks and knowledge
 diplomacy\, and set out concrete youth-facing initiatives on the Indian
 side. The Chair opened by stressing the need to listen and respond to youth
 aspirations and noted that inherited trust must be actively
 institutionalised and nurtured rather than taken for granted.\nProf (Dr.)
 Chetan Singai\, Dean\, School of Law\, Governance and Public Policy\,
 Chanakya University\nProf. Chetan opened his remarks by stating that
 people-to-people linkages between India and Nepal have to change from
 "inherited trust" (historical/cultural) to "institutional trust"
 (educational/skills/systems). This is crucial to resist "epistemic cruelty"
 or the hegemony of Eurocentric thoughts. This can be done through
 education\, skilling and labour mobilities where universities\, civil
 society and local governments play a crucial role.\nProf. Chetan mentioned
 that the unprecedented youth “demographic dividend” in both countries
 provides an opportunity for deriving a “diplomatic dividend” through
 regular academic exchanges noting that the current ITEC/ICCR model of
 exchange is largely one-way and needs to be institutionalised into two-way
 mobility. He also emphasised that Nepal and India can leverage their
 unrivalled civilisational links through promotion of indigenous knowledge
 systems and South Asian Transnational Education (TNE). South Asia
 Transnational Education (TNE) can shift India–Nepal academic ties from
 one-way student mobility to joint degrees\, faculty exchange and shared
 research centres.\nProf. Chetan highlighted provisions within India’s NEP
 2020 and National Skills Qualification Framework that can be
 “internationalised” for South Asian countries like Nepal offering a
 model for mutual recognition of qualifications in tourism\, hydropower\,
 healthcare\, AI\, logistics and digital services. His major recommendations
 included instituting an India–Nepal Young Leaders Fellowship\, a
 Students’ Parliament\, a Himalayan Innovation Challenge\, an
 India–Nepal Knowledge Corridor linking Chanakya University\, Tribhuvan
 University\, Kathmandu University and think tanks\, an India–Nepal Skills
 Mobility Framework\, with an aspirational South Asian Higher Education
 Qualification Framework led by India and Nepal\, and creation of policy
 labs on shared issues\, feeding into forums such as the SCB Chair’s
 Neighbourhood Forum.\nMs. Puspa Kumari\, Research Assistant\, Vivekananda
 International Foundation \nMs. Puspa Kumari began her presentation by
 mentioning that India–Nepal ties are civilisational and structural with
 roughly 8 million Nepali citizens living and working in India\, and more
 than 600\,000 Indians residing in Nepal. Moreover\, Indians make up about
 30% of Nepal’s tourist arrivals. She highlighted existing engagements
 such as more than 1\,500 scholarships offered by India annually to Nepali
 students\, and more than 3\,700 Nepali officials/professionals trained
 under ITEC since 2001 — supported by institutions such as the Swami
 Vivekananda Cultural Centre\, the Nepal–Bharat Library\, and the B.P.
 Koirala India–Nepal Foundation. Ms Kumari argued that the Gen-Z protests
 across South Asia have made youth-centric policy and engagement more urgent
 than before.\nIn terms of the major recommendations\, Ms. Kumari proposed
 the establishment of an India–Nepal Youth/Visionary Mission with
 dedicated funding for scholarships\, educational exchange\, innovation hubs
 and startup support. She also advocated for operationalising the 2014 MoU
 on youth development cooperation\, expanding ICCR scholarships toward AI\,
 IT\, data analysis\, media studies and climate/disaster management\,
 deepening sport and entertainment collaboration\, including a South Asia
 film festival\, launching a “digital ambassador” programme\,
 collaborating on Nepal’s tourism-familiarisation trips for Indian content
 creators\, building a more visible network of Nepali alumni of Indian
 institutions\, supporting digital modernisation (e.g. UPI’s expansion to
 Nepal)\, organising borderland youth forums and open-border management
 courses\, and promoting women and youth forums for inclusive
 policymaking.\nMr. Bibek Dhoj Thapa\, Research Associate &amp\; Program
 Coordinator\, Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement
 (NIICE)\nMr. Bibek Dhoj Thapa opened his remarks by stating that India had
 “failed to check the pulse” of Nepal and did not foresee the Gen-Z
 movement - which resulted in an unprecedented political change in Nepal
 that was homegrown and involved no foreign intervention. He mentioned that
 Nepal’s Gen Z views the “new\,” rising India through the lens of
 opportunity rather than as a post-colonial “big brother\,” and is less
 inclined than earlier generations to reflexively criticise India. However\,
 what Gen Z expects from India is strategic autonomy and genuine partnership
 — not a big-brother relationship. Mr. Thapa highlighted how social media
 now shapes youth perceptions of India faster and more powerfully than
 traditional diplomacy or news media.\nMr. Thapa argued that India’s
 reliance on classical cultural linkages and Bollywood has lost its sheen as
 younger audiences in Nepal are drifting towards K-pop and anime that have
 captured the imagination of Nepali Gen Z more effectively. He also
 mentioned the delivery gap in building infrastructure that India promises
 such as the Janakpur cricket stadium that remains incomplete even after
 almost a decade of beginning construction. Episodes like these undercut
 goodwill towards India in Nepal. Mr. Thapa recommended that India should
 help build pilgrim-support infrastructure along Nepal’s pilgrimage routes
 since a large majority of the pilgrims at these holy sites are from India.
 He also recommended diversifying India’s soft-power outreach to resonate
 with Gen Z\, following through on committed infrastructure\, using sports
 diplomacy for youth outreach\, and rebranding and better publicising
 India’s development assistance in Nepal.\nMs. Tanuja Pandey\, Gen Z
 Activist\, Nepal \nMs. Tanuja Pandey began by stating that there has been
 an erosion of trust in the India–Nepal relationship over recent years and
 there is a need for open dialogue as India’s regional role grows. She
 mentioned that the perception of a “comfortable” relationship between
 the countries can breed complacency\, despite deep historical and
 civilisational ties\, given that mutual trust between India and Nepal is
 declining. Ms. Pandey remarked that South Asia is in a phase of political
 instability\, and as a major regional power\, India carries a
 proportionately greater responsibility given its role as the de facto
 leader of South Asia. She added that rising hate speech and negative
 sentiment on social media\, in both directions\, is damaging the bilateral
 relationship.\nAdvocating the need for direct and open dialogue on border
 disputes and other friction points\, she mentioned that leaving thorny
 issues unaddressed can fester disenchantment over the long term. Ms. Pandey
 highlighted the fact that given India’s large investment in Nepal’s
 hydropower sector\, the two countries must cooperate on issues pertaining
 to climate change\, remarking that India’s absence from platforms like
 Sagarmatha Sambaad on climate resilience was a missed opportunity. She
 recommended that India move away from a “big brother” posture to a
 genuine partnership\, respecting Nepal’s sovereignty and strategic
 autonomy\, by prioritising open\, direct dialogue on sensitive issues such
 as border disputes and migrant worker welfare.\nPolicy Recommendations\nIn
 order to bring the partnership to fruition by translating its potential
 into delivery\, the following mandates are recommended:\n\n\n 	\nCreate a
 mechanism to audit stalled "nuts and bolts" issues of infrastructure
 projects\, like Pancheshwar Project and completion of Janakpur Stadium.\n\n
 	\nReactivating the 40+ dormant bilateral mechanisms and synthesizing the
 EPG report to give a roadmap for negotiating treaty and border
 management.\n\n 	\nSetting up an Erasmus Mundus–type of mobility
 programme in order to move from one-way flow of students to mutual
 recognition of degrees and joint research centres between Chanakya\,
 Tribhuvan\, and Kathmandu Universities.\n\n 	\nUsing sports diplomacy and
 IT startup ecosystems to bridge the trust gap amongst Gen Z and counter
 social media disinformation.\n\n 	\nScaling up 400kV transmission links and
 creating a nationwide multi-modal tracking system to integrate paperless
 customs and logistics platforms.\n\n\nOverall\, the Webinar’s conclusive
 message was that India–Nepal partnership needs to be re-thought on the
 basis of reciprocity\, humility and speed of project delivery. By bridging
 the implementation gap and connecting with Nepal’s modern aspirations\,
 India can ensure that its most intimate neighbour becomes its most
 resilient strategic asset in the neighbourhood.\n(The report is prepared by
 Dr. Saurabh Kaushik\, Dr. Faareha Usmani and Ms. Krutika Reddy from the
 Subhas Chandra Bose Chair of International Relations\, Chanakya
 University\, Bengaluru) \n
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://chanakyauniversity.edu.in/wp-content/upl
 oads/2026/09/India-Nepal-Relations-Webinar.jpg
CATEGORIES:Subash Chandra Bose Chair
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