Kathmandu, Jan 26 (NationPress) The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu commemorated the 77th Republic Day of India on Monday, welcoming members of the Indian diaspora and 'friends of India' in Nepal, as stated by the Embassy.

Republic Day is observed in India to honor the adoption of the Indian Constitution and the nation's transformation into a republic, which officially began on January 26, 1950.

The celebration kicked off with the raising of the national flag by the Charge d’Affaires of the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, Rakesh Pandey. Following this, a video showcasing President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the nation the night before the 77th Republic Day was presented.

During the event, Charge d’Affaires Pandey acknowledged the sacrifices of the widows and families of deceased Indian Armed Forces personnel, presenting Army Group Insurance Fund (AGIF) cheques totaling NPR 7.2 crore, as per the Embassy.

A video illustrating the substantial advancements in India–Nepal relations over the last year was also featured.

The event included lively dance and musical performances by students and teachers from the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre of the Embassy, alongside performances by Nepali artists.

Attendees included members of the Indian community, supporters of India in Nepal, as well as Embassy officials and their families.

On the eve of Republic Day, the Embassy released a special publication honoring the occasion. This publication emphasized bilateral cooperation, particularly highlighting India’s contributions to Nepal through its High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs), previously recognized as the Small Development Projects scheme, since its initiation in 2003.

A total of 591 projects have been launched under this scheme since 2003, with 506 completed and 85 currently in progress. The estimated cost for these projects is NPR 15.37 billion.

Moreover, India has been aiding Nepal in conducting elections since the 2008 Constituent Assembly elections by supplying vehicles and necessary materials.

With Nepal’s parliamentary elections scheduled for March 5, the Indian Embassy noted that India is set to provide 650 vehicles to Nepal, with over 60 delivered on January 20.

In 2025, India donated 40 ambulances, 81 school buses, and 15 electric vehicles to Nepal.

The publication also shed light on initiatives by the Indian Embassy aimed at fostering people-to-people relations, one of which is the India–Nepal Startup Partnership Network (IN-SPAN) launched last year.

This initiative saw enthusiastic participation from Nepali startups, and through a transparent selection process, 24 Nepali startups were chosen to partake in an eight-week incubation program at IIT Madras’s ‘Pravartak’, a technology incubator within the IIT Madras Research Park.

The selected startups, spanning various sectors including Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, space, ed-tech, legal-tech, climate-tech, IT SaaS, agri-tech, and solar energy, are engaging with Indian counterparts, mentors, and investors to leverage India’s dynamic startup ecosystem.

“The IN-SPAN program lays the groundwork for future collaborations between the youth of our two nations,” the Embassy remarked.