Kathmandu. Pokhara—The Joint Directive Committee on Energy Sector Cooperation (JSC) and Joint Working Group (JWG) on Energy Sector Cooperation were held in Pokhara on Monday.

According to the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, the 13th meeting of the JSC held on July 14 was co-chaired by Sarita Dawadi, Energy Secretary, Government of Nepal, and Pankaj Agrawal, Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India. Earlier, the 13th meeting of the JWG was co-chaired by Nepal’s Joint Secretary Sandeep Kumar Dev and India’s Joint Secretary (Broadcasting) Pankaj Kumar.

Various issues of India-Nepal energy cooperation including hydropower project development, cross-border power trade and transmission infrastructure were reviewed in the meeting.

Both sides expressed satisfaction over the progress made in various new transmission lines, including the 400 kV Gorakhpur-New Butwal transmission line. Likewise, the meeting also discussed the ways to expedite the implementation of ongoing and proposed power generation and transmission projects and facilitate the same.

Discussions were also held on the coordination operation of the electric grids between India and Nepal, development of solar power projects, collaboration in green hydrogen and capacity building of Nepali technical manpower.

Earlier, on July 16, India’s Energy Secretary Pankaj Agrawal paid a courtesy call on Nepal’s Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha and held discussions on various issues of bilateral energy cooperation.

The decisions and deliberations exchanged during the meeting will contribute to strengthening partnership between India and Nepal in the energy sector and to give further momentum to future energy projects.