Nepal: Roundtable on "India-Nepal cooperation in new technology and startups" held in Janakpur

The programme was also co-organised by the Nepal Young Entrepreneurs' Forum (NYEF: Birgunj and Janakpur Chapters) and hosted meaningful dialogue largely centred on startups and young entrepreneurs.

According to the organisers, the aim of the discussion was to further accelerate bilateral cooperation between India and Nepal in priority sectors influenced by new technology.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker, Devi Sahai Meena, Consul General of India in Birgunj, Nepal, said, "Today's Roundtable Discussion on India-Nepal Cooperation in New Technology & Startups shall support the convergence of new-age businesses in Nepal with their counterparts in India, besides ideating on various aspects of new technology and how India's edge in this segment can be beneficial for Nepalese businesses."

"India is progressing rapidly. Among the countries that have excellent economic growth, India stands at the top. India has made significant improvements in various sectors, especially in technology and startups, where remarkable progress has been witnessed. At present, India is known as the IT hub of the world. If we talk about startups, then India stands in the third position among countries encouraging startups," Devi Sahai Meena of the Consulate General of India in Nepal told ANI.

In his opening remarks, session chair Atul K Thakur, Senior Secretary, India-Nepal Centre, PHDCCI, presented a detailed overview of the past, present and the way forward for industrialisation in the Madhesh region and Nepal at large.

He reflected on the changing industrial profiles of both India and Nepal, and how India, as one of the fastest-growing economies in the world with open borders and friendly bilateral ties with Nepal, is opening a plethora of opportunities never seen before.

In particular, he said the rise of states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh reassures the possibility of major gains for Nepal, as local industries would see enhanced collaboration in the value chain. He added that Nepalese ancillaries and competent human resources are increasingly shaping Nepal's aspirations and positioning it as a capable ally.

He said India-Nepal relations should be defined by diverse factors, including deep social and cultural ties, and that the new wave of technology adoption and practices necessitates rebooting bilateral ties with 'technology cooperation' at the centre of the framework.

The roundtable discussion on "India-Nepal Cooperation in New Technology & Startups" in Janakpur witnessed the participation of more than forty startups and representatives of MSMEs.

The PHDCCI India-Nepal Centre, in collaboration with the "Startup Network Nepal", has been hosting an annual flagship initiative, the "Startup Summit Nepal", and its third edition will take place on December 20 in Kathmandu.

For the same, startups were encouraged to participate and further help build a robust startup ecosystem in Nepal with strengthened cooperation between India and Nepal in this space. (ANI)