NEW DELHI: Foreign Secretary’s two-day Nepal visit aims to prepare for Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s proposed India visit late next month, as New Delhi seeks to strengthen ties with Kathmandu following unease over the boundary dispute and Nepal’s remarks on third-party involvement.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will begin a two-day visit to Kathmandu on Wednesday, in a diplomatic move aimed at laying the groundwork for Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s likely visit to India in November .
The visit assumes significance as New Delhi seeks to maintain momentum in bilateral engagement while navigating lingering sensitivities over the long-standing boundary dispute between the two neighbours.
The MEA said that Misri’s visit would provide an opportunity to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest. However, people familiar with the matter said a key objective of the visit is to prepare the ground for Shah’s proposed trip to India, which could provide an opportunity for the two sides to reset political engagement and advance their cooperation agenda.
Describing the relationship as one rooted in longstanding ties, the MEA said: "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.”
Misri’s visit comes against the backdrop of Nepal’s enduring strategic and economic importance to India. The two countries share deep historical, cultural and people-to-people connections.
The relationship also carries substantial economic and strategic weight. As a landlocked country, Nepal depends heavily on India for the movement of goods and services, access to international markets and transit connectivity.
A predominant share of Nepal’s imports originates in or passes through India, making stable relations with New Delhi essential to Kathmandu’s economic interests. Maintaining political trust and connectivity with Kathmandu remains an important component of New Delhi’s neighbourhood-first approach.
Despite the extensive cooperation between the two countries, the relationship has not been without friction. Bilateral ties experienced some unease in May after Shah made remarks seeking the involvement of China and the United Kingdom in addressing the longstanding boundary dispute between India and Nepal.
New Delhi firmly rejected the suggestion of third-party involvement, reiterating that the boundary issue should be addressed through established bilateral mechanisms.
India has consistently maintained that all aspects of the boundary dispute must be resolved through direct engagement between the two countries, rather than international intervention.
Shah’s visit could offer an opportunity for both governments to reiterate their commitment to bilateral dialogue, strengthen economic engagement and prevent disagreements over the boundary issue from overshadowing broader cooperation.
