New Delhi: In a significant step towards strengthening regional energy cooperation, India facilitated the first-ever power transfer from Nepal to Bangladesh, marking a historic trilateral transaction conducted through the Indian grid.
The virtual inauguration event was jointly hosted by Union minister for power and housing & urban affairs, Manohar Lal, along with Bangladesh’s Adviser to the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, Md. Fouzul Kabir Khan, and Nepal’s Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Dipak Khadka.
The initiative, which enables Nepal to export up to 40 MW of electricity to Bangladesh through Indian transmission lines, underscores India’s commitment to sub-regional cooperation.
This power exchange was initially announced during former Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s visit to India in June 2023, during which both countries pledged to strengthen economic and energy ties for mutual benefit.
The arrangement was formalized through a tripartite power sales agreement signed on October 3, 2024, in Kathmandu between NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam, the Nepal Electricity Authority, and the Bangladesh Power Development Board. The agreement sets a new precedent for energy cooperation in South Asia and is expected to enhance economic interlinkages and boost sub-regional connectivity in the power sector.
