Kathmandu: The Government of India on Friday handed over 40 ambulances to various health institutions across Nepal, reinforcing its continued commitment to strengthening the country’s healthcare infrastructure.
The vehicles were distributed in a coordinated handover ceremony held at four locations: the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, the Consulate General in Birgunj, and the Pension Paying Offices in Pokhara and Dharan. The ambulances were allocated to health institutions across 33 districts, covering all seven provinces of Nepal.
In Kathmandu, 22 ambulances were officially handed over at a formal event attended by mayors, rural municipality leaders, political representatives, and social workers from Bagmati, Karnali, Lumbini, and Sudurpaschim provinces. Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy, Prasanna Shrivastava, presented the vehicle keys to representatives of the recipient organizations. Birgunj and Pokhara each received seven ambulances, while four were distributed in Dharan.
Speaking at the event, Shrivastava said that gifting ambulances has been a longstanding initiative under the Nepal-India Development Partnership, aimed at bolstering Nepal’s public health capacity. He highlighted that the initiative reflects the evolving and deepening development partnership between the two countries, built over the past seven decades.
Beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the Indian government for its ongoing support in Nepal’s development, particularly in health services. They noted that the ambulances would enhance healthcare access in remote and underserved regions.
India has been gifting ambulances to Nepal since 1994. With this latest consignment, the total number of ambulances donated to Nepal by India has reached 1,049. Over the years, India has also provided 300 school buses to Nepali educational institutions and, in 2022, donated 200 vehicles to Nepal’s law enforcement and election bodies for logistical support. Most recently, in May 2025, India gifted 15 electric vehicles to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for use during the inaugural ‘Sagarmatha Sambaad’ summit.