New Delhi, Nov 13 (UNI) India and Nepal on Thursday inked a deal amending the Protocol to the Transit Treaty between the two countries facilitating movement of rail-based freight between Jogbani (India) and Biratnagar (Nepal).
At a meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Nepal’s Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Anil Kumar Sinha, interchanged a Letter of Exchange (LoE).
This liberalization extends to key transit corridors- Kolkata-Jogbani, Kolkata–Nautanwa (Sunauli), and Visakhapatnam–Nautanwa (Sunauli), thereby strengthening multimodal trade connectivity between the two countries and Nepal’s trade with third countries.
The LoE enables direct rail connectivity along the Jogbani–Biratnagar rail link for both containerized and bulk cargo, facilitating transport from the ports of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam to the Nepal Customs Yard cargo station located in Morang District, near Biratnagar in Nepal.
This rail link, constructed with grant assistance from the Government of India, was jointly inaugurated by the Prime Ministers of India and Nepal on June one, 2023.
The meeting also welcomed ongoing bilateral initiatives to enhance cross-border connectivity and trade facilitation, including the development of Integrated Check Posts and other infrastructure. India remains Nepal’s largest trade and investment partner, accounting for a significant share of its external trade. These new measures are expected to further consolidate economic and commercial linkages between the two countries and beyond.
