Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has warned that the ecological fragility of the Himalayas poses a shared threat to Nepal and India, urging greater regional cooperation to address the impact of climate change. Speaking at the NDTV World Anviksha Summit in Kathmandu on Thursday, Khanal called for India-Nepal relations to be viewed not only through their historical and cultural ties but also through their shared ecological interests.

Khanal pointed to the recent flash floods in Nepal as an example of how developments in the Himalayan region can have consequences downstream. Referring to the floods triggered after an event near the Nepal-China border, he said water rushed downstream and devastated parts of Nepal. He emphasised that what happens to the Himalayan environment can ultimately affect areas far beyond the mountains, including neighbouring countries connected through river systems.

The minister noted that India had not experienced significant downstream flooding from the latest incident, but cautioned that similar events have affected Indian territory in the past and could do so again. The floods had prompted authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to remain alert, with emergency meetings held along areas bordering Nepal. Several major rivers, including the Gandak, also known as the Narayani, and the Kosi, flow from the Himalayan region into the Indian plains, making downstream areas vulnerable to such events.

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Khanal argued that India, Nepal, China and Bhutan are connected by the ecology of the Himalayan region and therefore need to cooperate despite political differences. He said the shared survival and future of communities across the region depend on protecting the Himalayan ecosystem. With the Himalayas considered particularly vulnerable to climate change, he stressed that ecological cooperation should become an important part of relations among the four countries.

The Nepalese minister also warned that growing ecological vulnerability could eventually affect freshwater availability across a vast part of Asia. Changes in the Himalayan environment, he noted, could have consequences for water security and potentially affect around two billion people in the region. He described the issue as a wider civilisational threat requiring countries to work together rather than respond only after disasters occur.

Khanal said the traditional cultural and religious bonds between India and Nepal remain important, including the long-standing references to the "Roti-Beti" relationship and Sita-Ram connections. However, he argued that the relationship needs to be broadened to include ecological concerns and shared environmental interests. He urged the countries of the Himalayan region to set aside political differences where necessary and develop stronger cooperation to protect the mountains and the communities dependent on them.

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