Kathmandu, May 13: India’s Ministry of External Affairs has said that the visit of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Nepal will be scheduled based on mutual understanding between the two countries, underlining what it described as the deep and multi-dimensional nature of India–Nepal relations.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing on Tuesday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the ministry has received an invitation for Misri’s visit to Nepal. He added that both sides will decide the timing of the visit through mutual coordination.
Responding to media reports in Nepal suggesting that the visit had been delayed due to reluctance from the Nepali side to engage with foreign diplomats, Jaiswal rejected any notion of strain and said bilateral ties remain positive and forward-moving.
He noted that India and Nepal share a broad and multi-layered partnership. Following recent political developments in Nepal, India’s prime minister had extended congratulations to his Nepali counterpart and held a phone conversation reaffirming commitment to strengthening the long-standing relationship between the two neighbours.
Jaiswal also pointed to recent high-level engagement between Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal during a meeting in Mauritius, describing it as productive.
He added that both sides are currently working closely at multiple levels to further deepen cooperation. “We have received an invitation from the Nepali side for the foreign secretary’s visit. The date will be finalised through mutual agreement, and we will share updates in due course,” he said.
On the issue of the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route via Lipulekh, the ministry reiterated India’s position that its stance is transparent and based on historical facts. It also maintained that the Lipulekh Pass has been in use since 1954 as a traditional route for the pilgrimage and does not represent any new development.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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