Kathmandu [Nepal], Nov 4 – India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is arriving in Kathmandu on Wednesday for a two-day official visit to Nepal, primarily aimed at preparing the ground for Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s proposed visit to India later this month.
Misri is visiting Nepal from November 4 to 5 at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart Amrit Bahadur Rai, according to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the visit, the two foreign secretaries will hold bilateral discussions to review the full spectrum of Nepal-India relations and exchange views on matters of mutual interest. The discussions are also expected to help prepare the agenda and identify key priorities for Shah’s proposed India visit.
The discussions are expected to focus on preparations for Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s proposed visit to India later this month including finalising the agenda and identifying key priorities. Nepal is expected to seek India’s financial assistance for reconstruction and rehabilitation following the August floods, with a broader focus on strengthening economic and strategic ties between the two countries.
Hydropower and energy cooperation are also likely to feature in the discussions with the possibility of advancing agreements in these sectors. Nepal is also expected to raise concerns over its widening trade deficit with India and seek greater access to the Indian market for Nepali products.
The two sides are further expected to discuss delayed bilateral projects, review their implementation status and explore ways to expedite their progress.
Misri is also scheduled to pay courtesy calls on senior Nepali dignitaries before departing for New Delhi on November 5.
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the visit continues the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and will help further strengthen their comprehensive bilateral partnership.
The visit comes after the 10th Nepal-India Coordination Meeting between Nepal’s Armed Police Force and India’s Sashastra Seema Bal concluded in Kathmandu in late October. The meeting focused on strengthening border security, improving information sharing on cross-border crime and introducing technology, including CCTV cameras, scanners and drones, for border management.
The two countries have also held recent engagements on energy cooperation, including joint ventures on cross-border transmission lines as well as connectivity and trade.
