Dec 20, Kathmandu- A delegation of twenty-six Nepali diplomats and officers, representing ten key Ministries and Departments of the Government of Nepal, visited India from 20 to 30 November 2024 to partake in the 1st Special Training Programme for Nepali diplomats and officers, held at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS), Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi.

The cohort of Nepali diplomats and officers had participants from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies; Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs; Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration; Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation; Ministry of Urban Development; Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development; Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport; and the Department of Railways.

The training covered a wide range of topics, including global geopolitical and geo-economic issues, economic diplomacy (trade, talent, tourism, connectivity, and development partnerships), India-Nepal relations, our shared cultural heritage, and Digital Public Infrastructure, and Responsible AI for all. The training also included field visits to the Rashtrapati Bhawan, DAKSHIN - Global South Centre of Excellence, India’s National Disaster Management Authority, and the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya. Cultural and touristic visits to Varanasi, Sarnath, and Ayodhya were also part of the course. At the conclusion of the programme, they had the opportunity to interact with the Foreign Secretary of India.

H.E.Naveen Srivastava, Ambassador of India to Nepal, hosted an interaction and debriefing session today with the 26 Nepali diplomats and officers. During the session, the Ambassador engaged with the participants to gather their insights on how India could assist in designing more targeted and useful courses in the future.

The first special training programme for Nepali diplomats and officers reflects continuing commitment to strengthen institutional exchanges between India and Nepal and highlights our close bilateral relationship.