Nepal’s Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba Arrives in India for Raisina Dialogue 2025

Nepal’s Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba arrived in New Delhi on Thursday after completing a spiritual journey in Jharkhand. She was welcomed by Munu Mahawar, Additional Secretary at India’s Ministry of External Affairs, and Shankar Sharma, Nepal’s Ambassador to India.

Nepal’s Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba arrived in New Delhi, to participate in the 10th edition of Raisina Dialogue on March 17, 2025

Participation in Raisina Dialogue 2025

Minister Deuba will participate in the inaugural session of the Raisina Dialogue on March 17, India’s premier conference on geopolitics and geo-economics, organized by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in collaboration with India’s Ministry of External Affairs. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the event, which runs until March 19, bringing together global leaders to address key international challenges.

Speaking Engagements at the Dialogue

On March 18, Foreign Minister Deuba will be actively engaged in discussions:

Panelist at “Climate Cataclysm: The Adoption Agenda is Gasping”, addressing global climate challenges.
Speaker at “What Does the South Want” at Raisina Ideas Pod, highlighting the priorities and expectations of developing nations.
Participation in a closed-door dinner session themed “Policy and Palate”, where high-level policymakers will discuss global issues in an informal setting.

Bilateral Meetings with Indian and Global Leaders

During her visit, Minister Deuba will also hold bilateral discussions with India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, and other foreign ministers attending the dialogue. The two leaders have engaged in multiple discussions over the past year, including meetings in New Delhi (August 2024), New York (September 2024), and Muscat (February 2025, during the Indian Ocean Conference). Their talks have focused on trade, transit, hydropower cooperation, regional connectivity, and infrastructure projects.

Focus on Trade and Regional Cooperation

The bilateral discussions will review progress on Nepal-India trade and transit agreements, expansion of electricity trade with India and Bangladesh, and key infrastructure projects such as:

Operationalizing additional port facilities for Nepal
Advancing the Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project
Progress on the Upper Arun Hydropower Project

Guest Speaker at Digital Public Infrastructure Conclave

On March 20, Foreign Minister Deuba will conclude her visit by participating as a guest speaker at the Digital Public Infrastructure Conclave, hosted as part of the Raisina Dialogue.

Her visit underscores Nepal’s commitment to strengthening regional ties with India while actively engaging in global conversations on climate, trade, and infrastructure development.