India, Nepal hold talks on post-flood reconstruction, reset in bilateral ties

Gist India and Nepal have initiated high-level dialogues to "reset" bilateral ties and coordinate post-flood reconstruction efforts. The talks, held during the visit of Nepal's Finance Minister to New Delhi, focused on India's continued support for Nepal's recovery from devastating flash floods and enhancing cooperation in economic, energy, and connectivity domains under India's Neighbourhood First policy. This engagement is crucial for civil-services aspirants as it marks a strategic recalibration in a historically complex relationship, addressing past boundary and economic frictions while maintaining India's developmental primacy in the region. Background India's engagement with Nepal is heavily guided by its Neighbourhood First policy , which prioritizes infrastructure, connectivity, and disaster relief in South Asia to foster regional integration and counter external geopolitical influences. Bilateral relations between New Delhi and Kathmandu have been strained in recent years due to boundary disputes and varying economic friction, necessitating a diplomatic recalibration. The newly elected Nepal government, led by Prime Minister Balen Shah , and its ruling Rashtriya Swatantra Party RSP under Chairman Rabi Lamichhane , have explicitly called for a diplomatic "reset" to mend these…