London – Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nepal in the UK Parliament, MP Alex Baker, has called on to resume direct air services between Kathmandu and London.

Speaking at the high-level Nepal-UK Tech Forum organized at the Nepali Embassy in London on Friday, MP Baker said that government-to-government and people-to-people ties between the two countries should be strengthened.

Nepal’s Ambassador to the UK, Dr. Chandra Kumar Ghimire, said that Nepal has now become an energy-exporting country and that its technology sector is vibrant. He described Nepal as one of the best destinations for trade and investment for the UK and urged British companies to outsource IT services to Nepal.

British Ambassador to Nepal, Rob Fenn, said that now is the right time to bring in more British investment to Nepal and to increase bilateral trade. He noted that the relationship between the two countries is unique due to the Gurkha soldiers, commitment to democracy, rule of law, and deep people-to-people ties. He also mentioned that a double taxation avoidance agreement between Nepal and the UK is being prepared.

CEO of the Investment Board Nepal, Sushil Gyawali, said that the Nepali government is prioritizing energy, information and communication technology, and infrastructure development. He explained that Nepal allows 100 percent foreign direct investment in information technology, offers seven years of tax exemption, and permits repatriation of profits. He also shared plans to build IT parks in all seven provinces and to establish an IT Promotion Board chaired by the Prime Minister.

Tim Gocher, founder of Dolma Impact Fund, spoke of Nepal’s vast potential to boost productivity through artificial intelligence and data centers. He said that Nepal’s cool Himalayan climate, clean energy, and digital workforce make it ideal for building world-class data centers.

President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Chandra Prasad Dhakal, said that Nepal’s private sector is ready to play a leading role in innovation and transformation. He emphasized the need to maintain policy stability for the next ten years. He noted that although IT and digital services are emerging sectors in Nepal, the country has shown capacity to compete globally in digital and service areas. “We are open to joint ventures, e-governance, and other partnerships. We invite you to collaborate with us in building a digital future,” he said.

Anjani Phuyal, CEO of the UK-headquartered IT company Genese Solution, said that Nepal’s young workforce is delivering high-quality services to the global market and urged UK companies to invest in Nepal.

Santosh Koirala, president of NAS IT, the representative organization of Nepal’s IT companies, said that about 90,000 youth are currently working in the IT sector. “More than 75 percent of our total exports go to the US. In the next 4–5 years, we want to expand our market to the UK as well.”

Ruby Raut, CEO and co-founder of UKA Wear and an entrepreneur based in the UK, emphasized the need to promote women in technology. She also highlighted the need for short-term training and mentoring for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs.

Hemraj Dhakal, co-founder and managing director of IME Group, said that Nepal is ready for digital transformation. Similarly, Dr. Kapil Rizal, president of the Britain Nepal Chamber of Commerce, said there is great potential to expand trade and investment between Nepal and the UK.

According to the Embassy, the event was attended by representatives of sectors including private equity, fintech, AI, cloud, cyber security, ed-tech, and health-tech, all headquartered in the UK.