Nepal Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal set to arrive in India, hold talks with EAM Jaishankar
New Delhi, June 5
Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal is set to arrive on an official visit to India from June 5-7 at the invitation of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
During the visit, Khanal is scheduled to hold formal talks with Jaishankar in New Delhi, where the two sides are expected to review bilateral ties and discuss ways to deepen cooperation across a range of sectors.
As per the Ministry of External Affairs, Khanal is set to land in New Delhi later this afternoon.
He will participate in a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday evening and will leave on Sunday afternoon, the MEA said.
The visit by Khanal marks the highest-level official engagement from the government of Prime Minister Balendra Shah since it assumed office in March this year.
As per Nepal's Foreign Ministry, Khanal's visit comes following an invitation by Jaishankar.
"During the visit, Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Khanal will hold a formal meeting with Minister of External Affairs of India Dr Jaishankar in New Delhi. The two sides will discuss matters of mutual interest, with a view to enhancing cooperation across key areas including trade, investment, connectivity, energy and people-to-people ties," the Nepal Foreign Ministry release read.
The two nations will discuss matters of mutual interest to enhance cooperation across critical sectors, including trade, investment, digital and physical connectivity, energy security, and deep-rooted people-to-people ties.
"As part of regular exchange of high-level visits, this visit will further consolidate the enduring and multifaceted bilateral relations between Nepal and India," the statement added further.
Falling under a regular exchange of high-level diplomatic visits, this visit is positioned to further solidify the enduring, multifaceted, and ancient bilateral relations shared between Nepal and India.
The announcement also coincides with an ongoing parallel visit by the President of Nepal's Rastriya Swatantra Party Rabi Lamichhane, who met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday.
India remains one of Nepal's largest and most crucial development partners. This developmental synergy began in 1951 with the construction of Kathmandu's Gauchar Airport (completed in 1954), alongside the setup of the Indian Aid Mission in 1954 to streamline projects in connectivity, health, education, and power.
Over the past seven decades, this developmental cooperation has deeply diversified into specialised areas like agriculture, archives, archaeology, cultural heritage preservation, and capacity building, fully aligned with the evolving priorities of the new government in Kathmandu.
— ANI
Reader Comments
MEA mentioned 'regular exchange of high-level visits'—exactly what's needed. Pakistan and China are trying to pull Kathmandu into their sphere, so India must strengthen cultural and economic bonds. I hope Khanal's visit addresses the Kalapani issue with maturity and mutual respect.
This is all well and good, but I wish India would stop treating Nepal like a junior partner. We're two sovereign nations with ancient bonds. Trade and energy cooperation is great, but let's not ignore the sentiments of ordinary Nepalis who feel overlooked by Delhi's bureaucracy sometimes. 🤷♂️
From an outsider's perspective, it's fascinating how deeply India and Nepal are intertwined—from the Ganga-Jal to shared festivals like Dasain and Diwali. I hope this visit translates into real economic integration, especially in hydropower, which Nepal has in abundance. Clean energy for both countries!
Over 70 years of development partnership and still we need high-level visits to 'review ties'? The problem is that every new Nepali government wants to renegotiate everything. India should invest more in people-to-people programs—like scholarships for Nepali students and cross-border tourism—than only big infrastructure projects that get stuck in politics.
Two things: First, happy that Rabi Lamichhane also met PM Modi separately—that shows multiple channels of engagement. Second, I hope the new government in Kathmandu doesn't play the China card too openly. India is Nepal's natural partner for trade (65% of Nepal's imports/exports), and we should strengthen
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.