KATHMANDU, Nov 5: India is eagerly looking forward to welcoming Prime Minister Balendra Shah to New Delhi, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told him during a meeting in Kathmandu on Thursday, as preparations gather pace for the Nepali leader’s first bilateral visit to India.
Misri conveyed the message during a meeting with Prime Minister Shah at Singha Durbar, saying Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also looking forward to receiving his Nepali counterpart. Shah, in response, said preparations for his visit were underway.
According to Foreign Ministry officials, Shah is scheduled to visit India from November 23 to 25, with preparations being expedited on both sides. The three-day visit is expected to focus on strengthening bilateral ties and identifying priority areas for cooperation.
The dates have been almost finalized, although the agenda is still being worked out, a senior Foreign Ministry official said. Shah is expected to travel directly to New Delhi, with no programme planned outside the Indian capital.
Indian Foreign Secretary Misri performs special puja at Pashupa...
A meeting between Shah and Modi is being planned for November 23, although it could be pushed to the following day if scheduling constraints arise.
The government is also planning to keep the delegation relatively small, with discussions underway to limit its size to fewer than 15 members. The possibility of including private-sector representatives is also being considered.
Nepal’s Acting Ambassador to India, Surendra Thapa, has arrived in Kathmandu to coordinate preparations. He has held consultations with Foreign Ministry officials and other relevant agencies.
“Preparations are underway. Not everything has been finalised yet. We are working to conclude the remaining arrangements. Everything should become clear in a few days,” said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lok Bahadur Chhetri.
Shah is preparing to visit India nearly eight months after assuming office. The trip will mark his first major bilateral engagement with a neighbouring country as prime minister. Earlier, he travelled to the United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly, where he raised issues concerning climate justice and Nepal’s interests on the international stage.
Misri’s two-day visit to Nepal was largely focused on preparations for Shah’s upcoming India visit and broader bilateral cooperation. During his meeting with Shah on Thursday, Misri conveyed greetings from Modi and discussed possible outcomes and initiatives to be pursued during the Nepali prime minister’s visit, according to a joint statement issued by the two countries.
Misri also held meetings with Foreign Minister Khanal, Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle, Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, and Infrastructure Development Minister Sunil Lamsal.
During delegation-level talks with his Nepali counterpart Amrit Bahadur Rai, the two sides reviewed ongoing cooperation across various sectors and discussed ways to strengthen the bilateral partnership. He also interacted with parliamentarians, including members of the Nepal-India Parliamentary Friendship Group and the Parliamentary Committee on International Relations and Tourism.
The two sides expressed satisfaction with expanding cooperation in trade, development partnership, hydropower, physical connectivity, border management, energy and people-to-people relations. They also identified emerging areas for collaboration, including start-ups, digital connectivity, artificial intelligence and sports.
Notably, Misri’s itinerary did not include meetings with leaders of other opposition parties. His political engagements were limited to Prime Minister Shah, ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chairman Rabi Lamichhane and Nepali Congress (NC) President Gagan Thapa, the main opposition leader.
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