Nepal and India on Monday announced that Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri would visit Kathmandu on November 4-5, as the two neighbours seek to strengthen ties and review key areas of cooperation.
According to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Misri is visiting at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart, Amrit Bahadur Rai. The two foreign secretaries will review the full range of Nepal-India relations and exchange views on matters of mutual interest.
Misri will also discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of common interest, according to a statement issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
He is scheduled to pay courtesy calls on senior Nepali officials and political leaders before returning to New Delhi on November 5. He is also expected to meet Prime Minister Balendra Shah.
The visit comes as Kathmandu and New Delhi prepare for Shah’s proposed official visit to India, expected in the second half of November. Although the dates have yet to be announced, the two sides have stepped up diplomatic engagement to prepare for the visit and identify areas for cooperation.
Misri’s visit is expected to provide an opportunity to discuss the agenda, priorities and possible outcomes of Shah’s trip, as well as broader bilateral relations. The two sides are also likely to discuss issues that could feature prominently in talks between the prime ministers.
“India and Nepal share strong and friendly ties which have seen substantial progress across diverse areas of cooperation. The Foreign Secretary’s upcoming visit continues the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and will help further enhance the comprehensive bilateral partnership,” the Indian statement said.
The proposed trip would be Shah’s first official bilateral visit abroad since he took office on March 27. India extended an invitation to him soon after his government was formed. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has said both countries are working to make the visit productive and result-oriented, with a focus on advancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Nepal and India maintain a broad relationship covering trade, transit, investment, energy, connectivity, security and people-to-people exchanges. India is Nepal’s largest trading partner and a major source of foreign investment. Bilateral merchandise trade stood at approximately $9.38 billion in the 2025-26 fiscal year, accounting for more than 60 percent of Nepal’s total external goods trade.
The two countries have more than 40 bilateral institutional mechanisms dealing with various aspects of their relationship, including border management, trade, security, water resources, hydropower and connectivity.
The foreign secretary-level talks follow Khanal’s official visit to India in June, when he met Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The two ministers reviewed cooperation in development partnership, connectivity, trade and transit, energy and people-to-people relations. They also discussed regional and multilateral issues and agreed to step up cooperation in emerging areas, including digital and financial technology, innovation and capacity building.
The upcoming diplomatic engagement is also expected to take place against the backdrop of longstanding bilateral issues, including border disputes, trade and transit arrangements, cross-border connectivity and the implementation of existing agreements.
Both governments are seeking to use the anticipated high-level political engagement to advance economic cooperation, particularly in energy, infrastructure and connectivity, while addressing outstanding bilateral concerns.
Anil Giri is a Chief Sub Editor covering diplomacy, international relations and national politics for The Kathmandu Post. Giri has been working as a journalist for more than two decades, contributing to numerous national and international media outlets.
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