India and Nepal sign letter of exchange to amend transit protocol, boosting rail connectivity and trade

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held a bilateral meeting with his Nepalese counterpart Anil Kumar Sinha in New Delhi today.

During the meeting, both countries exchanged Letters of Exchange (LoE) amending the Protocol to the Treaty of Transit between India and Nepal.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said that the letter enables direct rail connectivity along the Jogbani-Biratnagar rail link for both containerised and bulk cargo.

It added that the initiative will facilitate transport from the ports of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam to the Nepal Customs Yard cargo station.

The Ministry further said that the initiative is strengthening multimodal trade connectivity between the two countries and Nepal’s trade with third countries.

The meeting also included talks on ongoing bilateral initiatives to enhance cross-border connectivity and trade facilitation, including the development of Integrated Check Posts and other infrastructure.