Kathmandu, April 12: Nepal and India have reached a preliminary understanding on Prime Minister Balen Shah’s visit to India, but the trip will take place only after further preparation and at a mutually agreed date.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited Shah to visit India in his congratulatory message after Shah was elected prime minister. In response, Shah stated that he would visit India at an appropriate time, according to Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal.
Khanal said the discussions on the visit also took place during his meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, where both sides agreed in principle. However, no date has been fixed as several preparatory steps still need to be completed.
He said the talks covered broader bilateral issues as well as high-level exchanges between the two countries. “No specific schedule has been decided yet,” Khanal told reporters.
The discussion took place on the sidelines of the Ninth Indian Ocean Conference in Mauritius, where both sides also reviewed Nepal’s recent elections and the priorities of the new government.
Khanal said he informed the Indian foreign minister that Nepal is currently reviewing its foreign policy and overall relations with India. He emphasized that Nepal intends to define clear priorities in the bilateral relationship after completing this review.
He added that Nepal plans to activate existing bilateral mechanisms and deepen engagement across multiple sectors. “We suggested that both countries intensify dialogue through institutional channels while also preparing for high-level visits,” he said.
According to Khanal, the Indian side responded positively to the proposal.
Nepal and India currently operate more than 40 bilateral mechanisms, and both sides have agreed to make them more active to strengthen cooperation and dialogue.
Before the prime ministerial visit takes place, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is expected to visit Nepal.
Minister Khanal said Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar indicated that once Nepal finalizes its policy priorities, the foreign secretary would visit Nepal as an introductory and preparatory engagement for higher-level visits.
He said the visit would serve both as a goodwill mission and as technical preparation for the prime minister’s trip. “Only after that will the dates for the prime minister’s visit be finalized through mutual agreement. The visit will not happen immediately,” he said.
Sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Indian foreign secretary’s visit could take place within a month. During that visit, an invitation for the foreign minister to visit India is also expected, and a possible visit by Minister Khanal to India ahead of the prime minister’s trip is being discussed.
Traditionally, foreign ministers visit counterpart countries to prepare for prime ministerial visits, and a similar sequence may follow this time as well, although nothing has been finalized.
On the sidelines of the conference, Minister Khanal also held meetings with foreign ministers from Bhutan, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Singapore, and other countries.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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