Dr. Nischalnath Pandey, Nepal’s proposed residential ambassador to India, presented his work plan before the Parliamentary Hearing Committee in Kathmandu on Monday, pledging to move bilateral relations beyond traditional diplomacy and build a stronger economic partnership. He said his approach would prioritise Nepal’s national interest and public sentiment, with reducing the trade deficit through hydropower and information technology among the key aims.
A shift towards economic diplomacy
Pandey’s central pledge was to make economic cooperation a more prominent part of Nepal’s engagement with India. Rather than treating diplomacy mainly as formal state-to-state relations, he said Nepal should pursue an approach focused on economic partnership. The stated priority is to turn that change in emphasis into practical gains, particularly by addressing the trade imbalance between the two countries.
Hydropower and IT were identified in his plan as areas through which Nepal could work to reduce the deficit. Pandey did not present those sectors as a substitute for diplomatic engagement. Instead, his plan links economic priorities with the wider relationship, making stronger cooperation a key part of the proposed diplomatic agenda.
His pledge also placed national interest and public sentiment at the centre of the proposed approach. That commitment signals that, in Pandey’s view, engagement with India should be shaped not only by official relations but also by what Nepal considers important and by the views of its people. His presentation to the committee set out those principles as a guide for his work if his appointment proceeds.
Regular talks and bilateral mechanisms
Alongside the economic focus, Pandey said high-level visits, talks and bilateral mechanisms should be made regular and effective. The plan puts emphasis on sustained engagement rather than relying on occasional contacts. Making existing channels work more consistently would, in his stated approach, support discussions on the relationship’s economic and diplomatic priorities.
The proposal covers both political-level engagement and the mechanisms used for bilateral discussions. Pandey’s pledge to make high-level visits regular was paired with a call for talks and bilateral processes to become more effective. The plan therefore presents economic diplomacy as part of a broader effort to maintain contact and pursue issues through established channels.
Pandey also expressed hope that Prime Minister Balendra Shah would visit India soon. He did not announce a date for the visit. His statement placed the anticipated trip within the wider aim of strengthening high-level engagement, while leaving its timing uncertain.
Priorities awaiting an appointment
The work plan outlined a set of priorities for the proposed ambassador: put economic partnership at the centre of Nepal-India relations, use hydropower and IT as areas of focus in efforts to reduce the trade deficit, and make high-level visits, talks and bilateral mechanisms more regular and effective. Pandey presented the plan to the Parliamentary Hearing Committee in Kathmandu as part of the process surrounding his proposed appointment.
The presentation set out an agenda, rather than reporting completed outcomes. No specific trade-deficit target, project or timetable was included in the information provided about his remarks. The proposed focus is therefore defined by its broad direction: a stronger economic dimension to diplomacy, pursued in line with Nepal’s national interest and public sentiment.
The plan’s success would depend on turning those priorities into engagement and results, but Pandey’s presentation established the themes he intends to pursue. His expectation of a near-term visit by Prime Minister Shah, together with his call for more regular bilateral contact, underscores the role he assigns to political dialogue. At the same time, the emphasis on hydropower and IT makes economic cooperation the central element of his proposed shift in Nepal’s approach to India.
