Nepal's Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle and India's MEA Additional Secretary (North) Munu Mahawar participated in a seminar organised by Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) in New Delhi. The event examined the state of India-Nepal bilateral relations and both countries' roles in global affairs. The seminar brought together policymakers to deliberate on economic cooperation, connectivity, and the broader strategic partnership between the two Himalayan neighbours.

India-Nepal relations rest on a unique civilisational, cultural, and geographic foundation codified in the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Nepal is India's only open-border neighbour — citizens of both countries can move, work, and own property across the border without a visa. This 'special relationship' has economic, security, and diplomatic dimensions that UPSC regularly tests.

Key frameworks include: the Joint Commission (ministerial level), the Foreign Secretary-level mechanism, and the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) report on updating the 1950 Treaty. India is Nepal's largest trade partner and largest source of foreign investment. Hydropower cooperation is a growing pillar — India imports Nepalese hydroelectricity under agreements like the 2014 Power Trade Agreement and the 2023 tripartite agreement involving Bangladesh.

RIS (Research and Information System for Developing Countries) is a New Delhi-based autonomous think tank under India's Ministry of External Affairs, established in 1983. It focuses on development economics and South-South cooperation — an institution UPSC aspirants often conflate with similar bodies.

The seminar's context matters: Nepal has historically balanced ties between India and China. Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has made inroads in Nepal, and Kathmandu's membership in BRI (signed 2017) is a recurring point of strategic anxiety for New Delhi. India's Neighbourhood First Policy explicitly prioritises Nepal, and the Raxaul-Kathmandu rail link is among ongoing connectivity projects.