Youngest Home Minister at the Table: Sudan Gurung Heads to India for First BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ Meeting

Kathmandu, Nepal: Home Minister Sudan Gurung departed for New Delhi, India, at 1:00 PM on Monday from Tribhuvan International Airport to attend the first BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ Meeting. The visit marks his first official foreign trip since assuming office as Nepal’s Home Minister.

Gurung is currently the youngest Home Minister among the BIMSTEC member countries participating in the meeting. His participation highlights Nepal’s representation in high-level regional discussions on security cooperation and cross-border challenges.

The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, October 13, 2026, in New Delhi, India, is being held for the first time under BIMSTEC’s high-level security cooperation mechanism. The mechanism was envisioned during the Fourth BIMSTEC Summit held in Kathmandu in 2018.

Ministers responsible for internal security affairs from all seven BIMSTEC member states are expected to participate in the meeting. Discussions will focus on strengthening regional cooperation against drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering, terrorist financing, terrorism, cybercrime and other cross-border security threats.

The meeting will also review and adopt documents discussed through various BIMSTEC security mechanisms and is expected to issue a joint declaration outlining areas for future cooperation.

Nepal will prioritize stronger regional cooperation to reduce the growing risks of natural disasters in Himalayan areas caused by climate change. The country will also emphasize strengthening early warning systems and enhancing coordinated regional rescue and relief operations.

During the visit, Home Minister Gurung is also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with his counterparts from other BIMSTEC member states. The discussions are expected to explore ways to strengthen security cooperation, improve coordination and address shared regional challenges.

Gurung is scheduled to return to Nepal on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, following the conclusion of the meeting.

YOUNGEST HOME MINISTER AT THE TABLE

Home Minister Sudan Gurung heads to India for the first BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ Meeting, representing Nepal in discussions on terrorism, human trafficking, cybercrime, money laundering, drug trafficking and regional disaster security.

As the youngest Home Minister among the participating BIMSTEC member countries, Gurung’s presence brings a new generation of leadership to the regional security dialogue. Nepal is also expected to push for stronger cooperation on climate-related disasters, early warning systems, coordinated rescue operations and relief efforts.