Inaugural India-Nepal Dialogue in Kathmandu on August 27
NDTV World will launch ‘NDTV Anviksha: Ideas Across Borders’, a new global conversation imagined to deepen engagement between countries and enable nations to articulate their own ideas, ambitions, anxieties and perspectives in a complex world. The inaugural edition, ‘The India-Nepal Dialogue’, will be held in Kathmandu on August 27, 2026, and will bring together an influential cross-section of political leaders, policymakers, diplomats, business leaders, strategic thinkers and cultural icons from Nepal and India.
At a time when the world is more connected than ever, understanding between countries can still be shaped by familiar narratives, assumptions and perspectives formed from the outside. NDTV Anviksha seeks to move beyond these frames by creating conversations rooted in inquiry, reflection and a willingness to listen.
The name Anviksha draws from the ancient Indian tradition of anvīkṣikī – the disciplined pursuit of understanding through reason, reflection and examination. At its core lies the idea of looking again – moving beyond the obvious to arrive at a fuller and more nuanced understanding of the world.
Anviksha: Ideas Across Borders will travel across countries, with each edition placing a nation at the centre of the conversation – examining its history, identity, lived realities and evolving ambitions, while connecting these perspectives with the larger geopolitical and economic questions shaping the world. This conversation will seek to understand how a country is viewed by others, how it sees itself, the future it seeks to build and the ideas it can contribute to global discourse.
Speaking about the initiative, Rahul Kanwal, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, NDTV, said, ‘Some of the most meaningful conversations between nations begin when we move beyond assumptions and listen to how countries see themselves. With Anviksha, NDTV World wants to create a platform where ideas can travel across borders, where familiar narratives can be examined afresh and where dialogue is driven by curiosity rather than conclusions. Nepal is a natural and significant place for that journey to begin. The idea of Anviksha will travel across borders and move across continents to explore a larger, more authentic worldview in a complex world.’
The inaugural Nepal Dialogue comes at an important moment for a country that is witnessing political, economic and social change while defining its place in a rapidly evolving Asian and global order. India and Nepal share a relationship shaped by geography, history, culture, faith, trade and generations of human connection. Yet the very familiarity of that relationship can sometimes obscure the complexity and dynamism of Nepal itself.
The dialogue will therefore seek to understand Nepal not just through its proximity to India or its strategic location, but through its own voice, aspirations and evolving vision of the future.
The conversations will explore Nepal’s economic ambitions, entrepreneurial energy, democratic evolution and the aspirations of its young population. They will examine new possibilities emerging across technology, tourism, infrastructure, sustainability, trade and regional cooperation, while also considering the strategic shifts underway across South Asia and the wider Asian region.
The Anviksha: India-Nepal Dialogue will feature Shisir Khanal, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nepal; Dr. Swarnim Wagle, Minister of Finance, Nepal; Gagan Thapa, President, Nepali Congress; Sumnima Udas, Chair of the International Relations & Tourism Parliamentary Committee, Nepal; and H.E. Naveen Srivastava, Ambassador of India to Nepal.
Joining them will be Rabi Lamichhane, Founder & Chairman, Rastriya Swatantra Party, Nepal; Manish Jha, Member of Parliament, RSP, Nepal; Pradeep Gyawali, Former Foreign Minister of Nepal and Senior Leader, CPN-UML; Ravi Shankar Prasad, Member of Parliament,India; Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament, India, former International Diplomat and Author; Ram Madhav, National Vice President, BJP, Author and President, India Foundation; Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, National Executive Member, BJP; and Dr. Vijai Chauthaiwale, In-Charge of Foreign Affairs, BJP.
The dialogue will also feature leading voices from business and enterprise, including Kamlesh Agrawal, President, Nepal Chamber of Commerce; Birendra Raj Pandey, President, Confederation of Nepalese Industries; Gaurav Tayal, Vice President, Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and MD, Surya Nepal Pvt. Ltd.; and Vidushi Rana, Member of Parliament, RSP, Nepal and Director, Branding & Marketing, Goldstar Shoes.
Voices from culture, sport and popular culture will add another dimension to the larger conversation on Nepal’s identity and global presence, with renowned actor Manisha Koirala; Rajesh Hamal, actor and television host; Paras Khadka, Secretary, Cricket Association of Nepal and former cricketer; Aastha Pokharel, Supermodel & Influencer; and Indian mountaineer Anurag Maloo participating in the event.
Through conversations spanning geopolitics, diplomacy, economy, enterprise, culture and society, NDTV Anviksha – The India-Nepal Dialogue will seek to go beyond conventional formulations of bilateral relations and examine the ideas that could shape the next chapter of Nepal’s engagement with India, the region and the world.
Naveen Kapoor, Editor, NDTV World, said, ‘NDTV has always sought to be India’s voice to the world and the world’s voice to India. Anviksha takes that idea forward by creating conversations that allow us to understand countries through their own perspectives, priorities and aspirations. As the world navigates profound geopolitical and economic shifts, there is a need to look beyond familiar narratives and engage more deeply with how nations see themselves and each other. The India-Nepal Dialogue is the beginning of that journey.’
At the very heart of the dialogue is a simple but important question: not only how does the world see Nepal, but how does Nepal see the world?
Kantipur Media Group, one of Nepal’s leading media organisations, will be the Nepal Media Partner for NDTV Anviksha. The partnership brings together the reach and strengths of two significant South Asian media institutions and will help take the conversations and ideas emerging from Anviksha to audiences across Nepal.
NDTV Anviksha: The Nepal Dialogue will take place in Kathmandu on August 27, 2026, and marks the beginning of NDTV World’s larger effort to build a global platform for conversations that cross borders, challenge assumptions and encourage the world to look again.