By Usha Muthusamy
KATHMANDU, 5 July 2025: The Malaysia-Nepal Business Council (MNBC), on an official visit to Nepal, held discussions with the Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) on July 2, 2025, focusing on strengthening bilateral trade facilitation and investment enhancement. The meeting, held at the Chamber building in Jamal, Kathmandu, saw delegations led by MNBC President Mr. Pradeep Kumar Kukreja and NCC President Mr. Kamalesh Kumar Agrawal exploring avenues for deeper economic cooperation.
NCC President Agrawal highlighted the robust diplomatic relations between Nepal and Malaysia, which have spanned over 65 years, underscoring strong ties in trade, investment, and employment opportunities. He noted that over 500,000 Nepali youths are currently employed in Malaysia and that the two nations boast the highest air connectivity compared to other countries Nepal is connected with, demonstrating the significant contributions of the Nepali workforce to both economies.
Despite these strong ties, President Agrawal stressed the imperative to reduce Nepal’s persistent trade deficit with Malaysia by facilitating increased trade. He urged Malaysian entrepreneurs and investors to explore and invest in key Nepali sectors such as energy, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, mining, education, and health, presenting Nepal as an ideal investment destination. Furthermore, he requested Malaysian businesses to increase the import of Nepali goods to help bridge the trade imbalance.
In response, MNBC President Kukreja shared that Nepal’s tourism sector had particularly captured the council’s attention. He stated that the visit was inspired by the significant investment potential observed in Nepal and expressed MNBC’s intention to collaborate with the Nepal Chamber of Commerce to foster a more conducive business environment.
