Nepal Finance Minister Seeks Indian Aid for Flood Recovery

Nepal Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle arrived in New Delhi on September 17 for a three-day visit to secure financial and technical support for reconstruction following devastating floods on August 26. The disaster, which struck the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridors, caused property damage estimated at 4.75 billion USD. Death toll reports evolved across the crisis, with initial figures of 1,388 and 1,399 eventually rising to 1,410 fatalities.

During the visit, Wagle met with Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who reaffirmed India's commitment to Nepal's rehabilitation priorities. The two officials also discussed trade, investments, and cross-border connectivity. Wagle's itinerary includes meetings with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, as well as presentations to the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Delhi School of Economics.

Parallel to the diplomatic mission, the United Arab Emirates transitioned its support from emergency relief to early recovery. The UAE provided 10 million USD and 128 tonnes of supplies, with specialist teams collaborating on search-and-rescue operations. In Kathmandu, Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava concluded his tenure with farewell meetings with Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, who thanked India for its swift disaster response. Meanwhile, joint Indian and Nepali rescue teams continue efforts to reach six people trapped in the Chilime hydropower tunnel.