Indian Foreign Secretary Misri’s Visit: Preparing Groundwork for PM Oli’s India Visit

Kathmandu: The purpose of Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s two-day official visit to Nepal is to prepare the groundwork for Nepal’s Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s upcoming official visit to India in mid-September. Although the official date of the visit is yet to be unveiled by both sides, the groundwork has already begun. The invitation from New Delhi has already been accepted by Kathmandu.

Visiting Foreign Secretary Misri met with the Prime Minister of Nepal, Oli, at Singha Durbar on Sunday, where they discussed bilateral ties and the upcoming official visit to India. “The Prime Minister has already accepted the invitation from India. So, the meeting between PM Oli and Secretary Misri was focused on bilateral relations and the upcoming visit,” an official who was present at the meeting shared with The Diplomat Nepal.

According to the PM Secretariat, Foreign Secretary Misri also formally presented the invitation for PM Oli on behalf of Indian PM Narendra Modi. PM Oli has accepted the invitation from his counterpart PM Modi for the India visit.

Prime Minister Oli has already visited several other countries after assuming power for the fourth time, including the northern neighbour, China. He received an invitation from India after a long gap in his tenure.

Secretary Misri will also hold a meeting with the Foreign Secretary of Nepal, Amrit Bahadur Rai, regarding the agenda and logistics for PM visit.

Secretary Misri also met with former Prime Minister and Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, and another former Prime Minister and CPN-Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Secretary Misri also paid a courtesy call on President Ram Chandra Poudel at Sital Niwas. Misri also met with the Foreign Minister of Nepal, Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba.