Commerce secretaries of Nepal and India will meet Wednesday to evaluate the implementation of a five-year bilateral commerce treaty that  expires  five months later, officials said.

Officials meet at regular intervals to review treaty implementation; the last regular meeting was held in New Delhi in 1999.

Nepali Commerce Secretary Bhanu Prasad Acharya and Indian Commerce Secretary Prabir Sen will head the respective delegations.

Nepal will propose the early signing of a bilateral agreement to begin direct railroad service between the newly constructed dry dock at Birgunj with the port Calcutta to reduce transit costs and speed up the movement of goods for overseas trade, an official said.

Nepal will urge the unhindered access to the Indian market for Nepali goods manufactured with 30 percent value added component as New Delhi expresses concern at what it calls the flooding of its market with certain Nepali exports like vegetable ghee.

India has denied access to Kodak products manufactured at its factory in Hetauda forcing the industry closure.

Five years ago, India relaxed some restrictions on Nepali exports to reduce the widening trade gap which is still in New Delhi’s favour.