Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu in association with the Confederation of Nepalese Industries Young Entrepreneurs Forum (CNIYEF) Tuesday organized India-Nepal Startup Connect in Kathmandu.
“The event focused on fostering a ‘connect’ between Indian and Nepali startup ecosystems. It celebrated 75 years of India-Nepal diplomatic relations as well as 75 years of India’s independence,” the embassy said in a statement.
Addressing the inaugural session, Naveen Srivastava, Ambassador of India to Nepal, highlighted India’s G20 Presidency and Nepal’s participation in the Finance Track of the G20. He also mentioned the importance of digital public goods like JAM trinity (Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhaar and Mobile Number) in enabling financial inclusion and startups.
Similarly, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari elaborated on the theme of Digital Nepal and spoke about year 2023 being Nepal’s Digital Payment Promotion Year. He called for greater collaboration on fintech between India and Nepal, identifying cross border payments and QR payments as possible areas of cooperation.
Babu Ram Gautam, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Nepal, delivered a presentation on ‘Startup Opportunities in Nepal’, while Anubhav Kumar Das from Startup India made a presentation on the ‘Startup India Scheme’.
