New Delhi: India and Nepal have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening railway connectivity, holding high-level talks in Kathmandu to review the progress of ongoing cross-border rail projects and explore new areas of cooperation.
The two countries convened the 10th Project Steering Committee (PSC) and the 8th Joint Working Group (JWG) meetings from June 11 to 12 in Kathmandu. The discussions focused on the implementation of key railway links and enhancing bilateral cooperation in the sector.
According to a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Nepal, both sides reviewed the progress of the Jaynagar-Bijalpura-Bardibas and Jogbani-Biratnagar broad-gauge railway lines, which are being developed with grant assistance from the Government of India.
Officials also discussed the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for launching passenger train services on the Janakpur-Ayodhya route, a project aimed at improving religious and cultural connectivity between the two countries.
Another major agenda item was the Final Location Survey (FLS) report for the proposed Raxaul-Kathmandu broad-gauge railway line, a strategically important project expected to significantly improve connectivity between Nepal’s capital and India.
The meetings also covered India’s technical support for Nepal’s East-West Railway project and the possibility of developing additional cross-border railway links in the future.
Both countries agreed to maintain close coordination and continue working together to accelerate railway infrastructure development.
The discussions followed earlier meetings held in New Delhi in February 2025, where officials from both sides reviewed the status of the same projects.
The Indian delegation was led by Rohit Rathish, Joint Secretary (DPA-III) in the Ministry of External Affairs, while the Joint Working Group was headed by Pradeep Ojha, Executive Director (Traffic Transportation-Freight) in the Ministry of Railways. The Nepali delegation was led by Sushil Babu Dhakal, Joint Secretary at Nepal’s Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.
During the latest talks, the two sides also reviewed preparations for work on the remaining stretches of the Jaynagar-Bijalpura-Bardibas line, particularly the Bijalpura-Bardibas section, and the Nepal Customs Yard-Biratnagar section of the Jogbani-Biratnagar railway.
The Nepali side assured India that all necessary support and facilitation would be provided to ensure the early commencement and timely completion of these remaining sections.
The expanding railway partnership is seen as a key pillar of India-Nepal relations, aimed at boosting trade, improving people-to-people connectivity and promoting economic development across the border regions.
