Nepal and India expressed their desire to collaborate on a hydropower project in Nepal, which was originally planned to be undertaken solely by the two countries.

According to at least three Nepali government officials who spoke to India Narrative, an understanding has been reached between the two nations to involve India in the development of the Sunkoshi 3 hydropower project, with a capacity of 683 MW. This collaboration would transform the project into a trilateral endeavour.

For some time now, Nepal and Bangladesh have been discussing the development of this project, located on the border of Ramachhap and Kavrepalanchok districts in central Nepal. The two countries reached this understanding during the fifth meeting of the secretary-level Joint Steering Committee on energy cooperation between Nepal and Bangladesh, held on May 15-16 in Patuakhali, Bangladesh.

"During the meeting, the two countries agreed to request India to join as a partner in the project's development," stated Prabal Adhikari, the power trade director at Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the state-owned power utility body.

As part of the meeting's decisions, the NEA and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) decided to sign a joint venture agreement within the next six months for the project's development.

"Before signing the joint venture agreement, both sides have agreed to make efforts to include India in the project through trilateral cooperation," added Adhikari, who was also a member of the Nepali delegation. "A trilateral joint venture agreement could be signed if India agrees to participate."

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