Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has arrived in New Delhi for his first official visit to India, marking the highest-level engagement between the two neighbours since Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s government assumed office in March.

His three-day trip, from 5 to 7 June, includes formal talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, focusing on trade, investment, connectivity, energy, and border issues.

Khanal’s arrival on Friday was warmly welcomed by the Ministry of External Affairs, with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasising that the visit continues the tradition of regular high-level exchanges and will help strengthen the special partnership between India and Nepal. In his post on X, Jaiswal highlighted the importance of this engagement in consolidating the multifaceted ties between the two countries.

The formal meeting between Khanal and Jaishankar is scheduled for Saturday, with discussions expected to cover a wide-ranging agenda. Jaiswal confirmed that India’s expansive agenda with Nepal includes development cooperation, people-to-people ties, trade, and investment.

He also noted that connectivity and border infrastructure are likely to feature prominently, given Nepal’s recent emphasis on these issues. The talks will also address sensitive border matters, with India reiterating that a bilateral mechanism is already in place to resolve disputes through dialogue.

The visit comes at a time when Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah has reignited debate over territorial claims, alleging that India has occupied some Nepali territory. India has firmly rejected third-party mediation, insisting that boundary issues must be resolved bilaterally. Khanal’s presence in New Delhi is therefore seen as an opportunity to manage these tensions while advancing cooperation in other areas.

According to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the visit was initiated following an invitation from Jaishankar. The ministry’s statement confirmed that the two sides will discuss matters of mutual interest, with a view to enhancing cooperation across key sectors including trade, investment, connectivity, energy, and people-to-people ties. This reflects the enduring and multifaceted nature of India-Nepal relations, which are rooted in deep cultural, historical, and economic connections.

The timing of Khanal’s visit is significant, as it follows closely on the heels of Rabi Lamichhane, President of Nepal’s Rastriya Swatantra Party, meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi earlier this week.

Lamichhane’s engagement with Indian leaders set the stage for Khanal’s official trip, underscoring the importance Nepal attaches to early and high-level engagement with India under its new government.

Khanal’s visit also comes after his planned trip last month was postponed due to scheduling issues linked to international events. His current engagement is therefore being closely watched as a test of how the new Nepali leadership intends to balance domestic political pressures with the need to maintain strong ties with India.

Beyond the immediate bilateral agenda, the visit is expected to provide fresh momentum to projects that have long been pending, such as the Pancheshwar dam and improved connectivity through road, rail, and air links. Both sides are keen to explore avenues for regional economic integration and energy cooperation, which remain critical to their shared development goals.

The Foreign Minister is scheduled to return to Kathmandu on Sunday, concluding what is widely seen as a pivotal visit in shaping the trajectory of India-Nepal relations under the new political dispensation in Kathmandu.

ANI