Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrives in Kathmandu for a two-day visit to discuss strengthening India-Nepal bilateral ties and prepare for Prime Minister Balendra Shah's upcoming visit to New Delhi.
Diplomatic Engagement in Kathmandu
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri paid a courtesy call on Nepal’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shisir Khanal, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kathmandu on Wednesday. During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to further deepen their multifaceted partnership and strengthen the age-old ties of friendship between Nepal and India. The meeting formed a key engagement on the first day of Misri’s two-day official visit to Nepal, undertaken at the invitation of Nepali Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai.
Misri arrived earlier in the day at Tribhuvan International Airport, where he was welcomed by Nepal’s Joint Secretary Gehendra Rajbhandari and the newly appointed Ambassador to Nepal, Sudhakar Dalela. The visit is primarily aimed at reviewing the full spectrum of Nepal-India relations and exchanging views on matters of mutual interest, with a particular focus on preparing the ground for Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s proposed official visit to New Delhi later this month.
Future Agenda and Diplomatic Outlook
Misri is also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with his counterpart Rai, meet Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle and call on Prime Minister Shah before departing for New Delhi on Thursday. This marks Misri’s second visit to Kathmandu since assuming the role of Foreign Secretary in July 2024.
Nepal and India share deep historical, cultural, religious and people-to-people linkages, alongside extensive cooperation in trade, connectivity, energy (including hydropower), development projects and security. The high-level exchanges underscore both countries’ emphasis on maintaining close and friendly ties amid evolving regional dynamics.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal highlighted the discussions as focusing on “various matters related to further deepening the multifaceted partnership”, reflecting the continuous diplomatic efforts to build on the longstanding relationship. (ANI)
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