Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday morning for a two-day official visit aimed at preparing the ground for Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s proposed visit to India later this month.
Misri, who is visiting at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart Amrit Bahadur Rai, is scheduled to hold delegation-level talks with Rai over a working lunch on Wednesday.
The two sides will discuss the full range of Nepal-India bilateral relations, including Nepal’s proposed economic package with India, the agenda for Shah’s upcoming India visit, a review of Indian-funded projects in Nepal and new areas of cooperation, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During his stay, Misri is also scheduled to meet Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal and Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle.
He will call on Prime Minister Shah on Thursday before returning to New Delhi, a senior foreign ministry official said. During the meeting, Misri is expected to convey an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Shah to visit India.
The visit comes as Kathmandu and New Delhi step up preparations for Shah’s proposed visit, which would be his first bilateral trip to India since taking office. The visit is expected to take place later this month, although neither government has formally announced the dates.
Misri's trip is his second visit to Kathmandu since he took office as India's foreign secretary in July 2024.
In a statement announcing the visit, India's Ministry of External Affairs said Misri would discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest with Nepali officials. Describing ties between the two countries as strong and friendly, the ministry said they had made significant progress in cooperation across various sectors.
“Misri's visit will continue the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and contribute to further strengthening the overall bilateral partnership,” the Indian foreign ministry said.
The visit is also significant given the diplomatic unease that preceded it. Misri was initially scheduled to visit Kathmandu in May, but the trip was postponed amid reported differences over protocol, following Shah’s reluctance to meet the visiting Indian foreign secretary, and renewed tensions over the Lipulekh boundary dispute.
The dispute resurfaced in the first week of May after Nepal objected to India's plans to facilitate the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage through Lipulekh, a mountain pass near the Nepal-India-China tri-junction that Kathmandu claims as its territory.
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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