Speaking at a meeting held at the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), the newly appointed envoy said that the embassy in New Delhi was ready to tackle the problems hindering trade between the two countries. He also urged the country’s private sector to approach the embassy in New Delhi with their problems.

“I have been appointed as the Nepali envoy to India recently. There might be numerous issues bothering the private sector. I urge the FNCCI to point them out to us. My team and I in New Delhi will be doing everything possible to support you,” Upadhyay said. “It is the private sector which needs to play a proactive role in driving economic ties. The government is there to facilitate things.” Upadhyay said that the private sector should assess their needs themselves.

FNCCI President Pashupati Murarka expressed happiness and confidence that the new envoy would help the private sector highlight the problems and issues being faced by it. “We are hopeful that the embassy in New Delhi will lobby on behalf of the private sector,” Murarka said.

In 2011, the then Nepali ambassador to India Rukma Shumsher Rana had been recalled by the government following a controversy about his conflicting responsibilities as ambassador to India and managing director of Dabur Nepal. The vacant position was filled by Upadhyay in 2015. Chairman of the FNCCI’s Energy Committee Gyanendra Lal Pradhan urged the Indian envoy to focus on bettering Indo-Nepal relations by focusing on water related issues. “Nepal’s water resource are its assets. We should utilize them for the betterment of both the countries,” Pradhan said.

He added that the envoy should also lobby to connect the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) countries through energy for enhancing regional cooperation.