Nepal has undergone significant physical and demographic changes, according to Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava. Speaking at NDTV World’s ‘Anviksha’ India-Nepal Dialogue on Thursday, he connected these transformations to New Delhi’s ‘neighbourhood first’ policy. This approach emphasizes strengthening ties with neighboring countries, reflecting India’s strategic focus on regional diplomacy.
“Several new initiatives have been taken. The Indian envoy mentioned how technology is one of the focus areas of the Nepal government and how India is helping with the country’s start-ups. “Nepal has a very vibrant start-up ecosystem. Most of the young Nepalese are into start-ups. And for the last several years, we had done several collaborative events with the local business chambers and universities. What we found was while there is a lot of talent here, they are very ambitious. Keeping that in mind, we started a program called India Nepal Startup Partnership Network. “Several of them have got incubation offers in India. “Another area that we are focusing on is sports diplomacy, cricket, and it helps that my minister, Dr S Jaishankar, is also a cricket fan.
Because the Indian start-up ecosystem would provide them capital, would provide them a market and connections, there could be a mutually beneficial collaboration. Investments have flown in, and we are now working on the regulatory part of it so that the Nepali startups who now wish to expand into India, are able to do so without much of a regulatory hassle,” he said. Therefore, when he had come here in 2024, he had met the Nepalese cricket team.
We organise, for example, visits of young MPs, in collaboration with think tanks from India to spend 10-15 days in India, see what the Indian development is like and how Nepal’s youth and young politicians or young population can fulfill their aspirations as they collaborate with India.
That’s been the larger objective,” the envoy said. It started last year,” he said. In the field of agriculture too, India has been extending help to Nepal, the envoy said. And since then, our cooperation with Nepali cricket team has increased,” he said.
