Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri began a two-day visit to Kathmandu on Wednesday, Nov 4, with a meeting with Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, tweeted -- "Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri paid a courtesy call on Minister for Foreign Affairs Shisir Khanal at the Ministry today. On the occasion, various matters related to further deepening the multifaceted partnership and strengthening the age-old ties of friendship between Nepal and India were discussed."
Misri, who arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday morning at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart Amrit Bahadur Rai, paid a courtesy call on Khanal.
Misri is scheduled to hold delegation-level talks with Rai over a working lunch. The discussions will cover the full range of bilateral relations, including Nepal’s proposed economic package with India.
Preparation related matters for Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s planned visit to India, a review of Indian-funded projects in Nepal and potential new areas of cooperation are expected to figure at the talks.
During his stay, Misri is also scheduled to meet Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle.
He will call on Prime Minister Shah on Thursday (Nov 5) before returning to New Delhi. Misri is expected to convey an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Shah to visit India.
Nepal PM Shah’s proposed visit, which would be his first bilateral trip to India since taking office, is expected to take place later this month. Neither government has formally announced the dates.
On Misri’s visit, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said he would discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest with Nepali officials. It described relations between the two countries as strong and friendly, and said cooperation had made significant progress 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 ministry said.
Reports say Vikram Misri was originally scheduled to visit Kathmandu in May, but the trip was postponed amid reported differences over protocol and renewed tensions over the Lipulekh boundary dispute.
The dispute resurfaced in early 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. This is Misri’s second visit to Kathmandu since he took office as India’s foreign secretary in July 2024.
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