Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s planned visit to Nepal, which was due to commence on Monday, has been postponed at the last minute.

Sources from both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nepal and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu confirmed that the trip has been unexpectedly called off.

Preparations had been underway for the two-day visit, but communication from the Indian side conveyed that the visit would not go ahead, with no official reason provided for the decision.

Misri’s visit was intended to extend a formal invitation to Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah, who was sworn in on 27 March following the successful conduct of elections six months after the Gen-Z uprising.

However, officials from the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu revealed that there had been no proper response from the Nepal Prime Minister’s Office regarding the proposed meeting. This lack of clarity reportedly contributed to the postponement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier congratulated Shah and held a telephonic conversation after his Rastriya Swatantra Party secured a landslide victory, signalling India’s intent to engage with the new leadership.

Two months after the formation of the government, Misri was invited by his Nepali counterpart Amrit Rai, who had planned to focus discussions on strengthening bilateral ties and exploring various aspects of the multifaceted relationship between the two countries.

The Indian side had considered the visit important in the context of engaging with Nepal’s new political leadership. However, it became evident that high-level meetings, including one with the Prime Minister, would not be possible during the trip, leading to the decision to stall the visit.

The cancellation comes at a sensitive time, as India and Nepal remain at odds over territorial claims concerning Lipulekh. Despite this, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected suggestions that the postponement was linked to the border dispute.

Spokesperson Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri emphasised that Nepal and India share very close relations and that one issue should not hamper other aspects of their bilateral ties. He reiterated that the relationship between the two countries is broad and resilient, capable of withstanding individual disagreements.

The postponement underscores the complexities of India-Nepal relations, particularly in the wake of Nepal’s political transition and ongoing disputes.

While India had sought to use Misri’s visit as a means of consolidating engagement with the new government, the lack of assurance of substantive meetings appears to have prompted the decision to delay.

The development highlights both the opportunities and challenges in managing ties between the two neighbours, where diplomacy must balance political sensitivities with long-term strategic interests.

ANI