Bilateral Relations
Nepal and the then Soviet Union established diplomatic relations on 20 July 1956. Soon after the collapse of the former Soviet Union, the Government of Nepal extended full and formal diplomatic recognition to the Russian Federation as a sovereign and independent state on 28 December 1991. Nepal and the Russian Federation have been enjoying cordial and cooperative relations ever since. Both the countries have residential diplomatic presence in each other’s capital cities.
The two countries have signed an agreement on the Abolition of Visa Requirements for the Holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports.
Exchange of Visits
From the Nepali Side
Hon. Mr. Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, Minister for Foreign Affairs paid an official visit of the Russian Federation in November 2019. Delegation-level talks with H.E. Mr. Sergei Lavrov, Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, were held on 25 November.
Rt. Hon. Cholendra Shumsher JBR, Chief Justice of Nepal, visited Russia from 13 to 18 May 2019 to participate in “Constitution Identity and Universal Values: the Art of Balance”. Mr. Gopal Parajuli, then Chief Justice, visited Russia from 23 to 26 September 2017. They held bilateral meetings with their Russian Counterparts.
A delegation led by the Hon. Ranju Kumari Jha, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Women, Children, Senior Citizens and Social Welfare participated in the International Meeting of Youth Ministers held in Moscow on October 12-13, 2017.
A Delegation headed by Speaker of Legislature-Parliament of Mrs. Onsari Gharti Magar paid an official visit to Russia in November 2016.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Upendra Yadav visited Moscow in 2011 and met with the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Andrey Denisov.
The then Prime Minister Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal paid an official visit to Russia to participate in the World Tiger Summit held on 24 October 2010 at Saint Petersburg.
Late King Birendra paid a state visit to the USSR in 1976. In 1958, late King Mahendra paid a state visit to the Soviet Union.
From Russian Side
A delegation led by Mr. Alexander Vysokinsky, the Vice-Governor of Yekaterinburg Region, visited Nepal on 27-28 February 2018.
Mr. Ilya B.Galkin, Director of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Energy, visited Nepal to attend the first meeting of Joint Working Group on Energy Cooperation on August 2013.
Director of the Third Asian Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Mr. Gleb A. Ivashentsov visited Nepal in 2003.
Mr. Georgi F. Kunadze, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, paid an official visit to Nepal from December 24 to 26, 1992.
President Marshal Voroshilov paid a state visit to Nepal in 1960.
Cooperation
The economic and technical cooperation between the two countries started since 1959. Russian cooperation in building physical and industrial infrastructure contributed to accelerate the modernization process in Nepal in the past. The former USSR provided assistance to Nepal for the setting-up of Kanti Hospital, Panauti Hydro-electric power station, Pathalaiya-Dhalkebar Highway, Janakpur Cigarette Factory, Agricultural Tools Factory, Birgunj Sugar Mill and Rosin and Turpentine Plant, among others.
Similarly, a large number of technical manpower was trained in the then Soviet Union mainly in the engineering and industrial fields. Since 1992, Nepali students have been going to Russia for higher studies on self-finance basis, and a few scholarships are provided to Nepali students in the fields of medicine and engineering.
The Russian Federation extended support for the relief of the victims in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes of 2015.
Trade/Investment
Nepal’s exports to the Russian Federation consist of tea, plants and part of plants, incense sticks, raw hides and skins, tea, handmade paper, carpets and other textile floor covering, W&G cotton dresses, table linen, hats and othe headgear, percussion musical instruments, work of art, etc. Nepal’s import from the Russian Federation consists of food items, mineral oils and lubricating oils, medicine, diagnostic kits, chemicals, articles of plactics, paper and paper board, readymade garments, industrial raw material, aircraft, spacecraft and thereof.
A cooperation agreement between the Federation of Nepali Chamber of commerce and Industry and the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry was signed in 2011. There are possibilities in joint industrial ventures in that Russian technology specially relating to hydro-power plants, building materials, energy and small and medium-scale labour-intensive industries, is considered to be suitable for Nepal.
The following table exhibits trends of Nepal’s trade with Russian Federation. (In USD)
| Year | Export | Import | Balance |
| 2015 | 253,799 | 10,676,126 | -10,422,327 |
| 2016 | 422,608 | 7,306,245 | -6,883,637 |
| 2017 | 1,766,658 | 11,473,450 | -9,706,792 |
| 2018 | 1,570,304 | 30,172,32 | -1,446,928 |
| 2019 | 801,310 | 9,462,135 | -8,660,825 |
(Source: TEPC, Nepal)
Investment: As of 15 July 2020, Rs. 694 million FDI has been received from the Russia which is invested in 42 different companies and they have generated 1464 jobs. (Department of Industry)
Culture and Tourism
There has been an increasing level of cultural cooperation and interactions engaging the private sector and other people-to-people exchanges. Students, entrepreneurs, diaspora, scientists, artists, mountaineers, tourists and the academia from both the countries have made contributions. People-to-people relations underline the bilateral relations, which began with the visit of the renowned Russian scholar Ivan Pavloviech Minayev to Kathmandu in 1875. A sizeable number of Nepali and Russian nationals are residing in each other’s countries in different professions.
Tourist arrival in Nepal from Russian Federation of the last few years is as follows:
| Year | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| No. of Tourists | 4,895 | 4,898 | 9,970 | 10,480 | 10,372 |
Europe and the Americas Division
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
August 2020