India To Export Up To 654 MW Power To Nepal For 18 Hours Daily

India has approved a proposal to supply electricity to Nepal for 18 hours a day until December 31, 2026, following extensive damage to hydropower infrastructure caused by devastating flash floods in the Himalayan country. The Ministry of Power has cleared the export of electricity to the Nepal Electricity Authority as Nepal faces reduced domestic generation capacity and an increased requirement for power.

Under the approval, India can export up to 600 MW through the Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar 400 kV double-circuit transmission line. An additional supply of up to 54 MW has been approved through the Tanakpur-Mahendranagar 132 kV single-circuit line. The quantum of electricity to be exported from January 2027 will be reviewed in December 2026, according to the official statement.

The decision comes after recent flash floods caused significant damage to hydropower projects and other infrastructure in Nepal. The resulting reduction in domestic electricity generation has created an additional requirement for power, making electricity imports important for maintaining supply during the recovery period. India said the arrangement would help Nepal meet its immediate power needs while reinforcing the longstanding energy partnership between the two countries.

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India has also stepped up humanitarian assistance following the floods. Indian Air Force aircraft have transported relief and rescue supplies to Kathmandu, while Indian personnel have been deployed to support search, rescue and forensic operations. India has additionally sent specialised equipment, including mud rescue suits, gas detectors, breathing apparatus, inflatable walkways, portable generators, lighting towers and dewatering pumps.

Technical assistance has also been provided to help identify victims of the disaster. India has supplied DNA kits, reagents and equipment for DNA profiling as part of efforts to establish the identities of recovered bodies. The assistance comes as security forces and emergency teams continue search and rescue operations across the affected areas.

The flash floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, devastated towns and villages in northern and central Nepal. According to Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the death toll has risen to 1,386, while around 5,130 people remain missing. More than 13,700 people have been rescued so far, while 339 people are undergoing treatment in hospitals, with 104 recovered bodies identified and handed over to their families.

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