Kathmandu: Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri called on Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal on Wednesday, and the two discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties.
Following the meeting, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a social media post that the two sides had discussed their countries’ multifaceted partnership.
“Various matters related to further deepening the multifaceted partnership and strengthening the age-old ties of friendship between Nepal and India were discussed,” the ministry said.
Khanal’s Secretariat said in a statement that the two sides had discussed ways to further strengthen the multidimensional partnership between Nepal and India and deepen the longstanding historical and friendly relations between the two countries.
“They also discussed various issues, including energy, aviation, trade, sports and education,” the Secretariat said.
During the meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Khanal expressed confidence that the close relations between Nepal and India would reach new heights.
Misri arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday morning at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart, Amrit Bahadur Rai. He is also scheduled to meet Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle.
The Kathmandu Post reported, citing a senior Foreign Ministry official, that Misri would call on Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Thursday before returning to New Delhi.
During his meetings in Kathmandu, Misri is also expected to convey an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Shah to visit India.
Misri’s visit is expected to lay the groundwork for Prime Minister Shah’s upcoming trip to India. Shah is expected to visit New Delhi later this month, according to officials at the Prime Minister’s Office and Nepal’s Foreign Ministry.
Announcing Misri’s visit on Monday, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two sides would review the full range of Nepal-India relations and exchange views on matters of mutual interest, with a view to further strengthening the longstanding, close and friendly ties between the two countries.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs also said the visit would cover bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.
“India and Nepal share strong and friendly ties, which have seen substantial progress across diverse areas of cooperation,” the Indian ministry said.
“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.”
Officials at Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said Misri’s visit would help set the agenda for bilateral talks during Shah’s trip to New Delhi. They said Nepal wanted to make the Prime Minister’s visit more fruitful by advancing discussions on key issues, including the border dispute, revision of the trade treaty and additional air-entry points for international flights via India.
“Nepal will seek a substantial assistance package from India in the wake of the devastation caused by the August 26 floods,” a Foreign Ministry official told IANS earlier.
During Shah’s proposed visit, the two sides are also expected to inaugurate several projects involving bilateral cooperation.
Before Misri’s arrival, India’s newly appointed ambassador to Nepal, Sudhakar Dalela, arrived in Kathmandu on Tuesday to assume his new diplomatic responsibilities.
–IANS–
