India-Nepal talks intensify ahead of Balen Shah’s Delhi visit

Kathmandu: Preparations have intensified ahead of Nepali Prime Minister Balen Shah's visit to Delhi. Upholding tradition, Balen Shah has chosen India as the destination for his first foreign visit. However, he has laid down a condition: his visit must not be merely ceremonial; rather, it must focus on addressing substantive issues. According to *The Kathmandu Post*, he has made it clear that—unlike previous Prime Ministers—he will not travel to New Delhi solely for photo opportunities; instead, his visit must yield meaningful outcomes. In line with this objective, officials from both nations are currently working to finalize the itinerary.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's visit to Kathmandu comes at a time when officials from both the United States and China have, in a sense, also converged upon the city. The US Assistant Secretary of State and an official from the Chinese Foreign Ministry visited Kathmandu last week. According to reports, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri plans to visit Nepal on May 11–12 and has sought confirmation regarding this from the Nepali side. To accord this visit official status, and in accordance with diplomatic protocol, the Foreign Secretary is required to extend a formal invitation to Misri.

Indian Foreign Secretary to Visit Kathmandu

According to a report by *The Kathmandu Post*, following notification from the Indian side, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai has already dispatched a formal invitation to Misri. Officials shared this information with *The Post* on the condition of anonymity, as they were not authorized to speak to the media. On April 10, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal held discussions with his Indian counterpart, S. [Jaishankar], during the 9th Indian Ocean Conference held in Mauritius. ...had held discussions with Jaishankar. According to reports, it was during this interaction that talks regarding a visit by Balen Shah took place between the two leaders.

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According to reports, during the conversation between the two Foreign Ministers, S. Jaishankar proposed to Khanal that Vikram Misri be sent to Kathmandu to gain an understanding of the Nepal government's priorities. Furthermore, the aim was to ensure that concrete results could be achieved during Balen Shah's visit to Delhi. *The Post* reported that while the specific agenda for Misri's visit to Nepal has not yet been finalized, his primary objective will be to understand the priorities of Nepal's new government. He will seek to ascertain Balen Shah's expectations. On Saturday, during an interaction with a group of Nepali journalists in New Delhi, Misri also stated that he would be visiting Kathmandu "very soon."

**Agenda for Balen Shah's India Visit to be Finalized**

Additionally, Vikram Misri is expected to formally extend an invitation to Balen Shah—on behalf of Prime Minister Modi—to visit New Delhi. Furthermore, Misri is scheduled to meet with several Nepali ministers; however, it remains currently undecided whether he will hold a meeting with Balen Shah himself. Officials from Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Foreign Minister Khanal is currently consulting with his ministerial colleagues to review the status, progress, and potential hurdles facing various India-funded projects in Nepal, as well as to identify potential new areas for cooperation.

*The Post* further reported that during this visit, the Indian Foreign Secretary may pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Balen Shah. However, Balen Shah is currently adhering to a strict protocol under which he meets only with ministers or heads of state/government, and not with officials. Notably, he had previously declined to meet with a US official, maintaining a policy of not holding meetings with officials ranked below the level of President, Prime Minister, or Foreign Minister.

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Separately, Sergio Gor—Donald Trump's Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs, who also serves as the US Ambassador to India—is scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu on April 30. Officials stated that, breaking with tradition, Balen Shah did not meet with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Sameer Paul Kapoor last week, and it remains uncertain whether he will meet with Gore. However, citing officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the *Post* also reported that Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle and Foreign Minister Khanal are attempting to persuade Prime Minister Balen Shah to meet with senior officials from India, China, and the United States.