India’s foreign secretary meets Nepal PM Balendra Shah, prepares ground for his upcoming India visit

Misri visited Nepal on November 4 and 5 at the invitation of Nepal’s Foreign Secretary, Amrit Bahadur Rai.

Meetings in Kathmandu

Misri conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Shah, the release said.

He reviewed the progress of bilateral cooperation with the Nepali leader.

The Indian foreign secretary also called on four Nepali ministers, Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha and Infrastructure Development Minister Sunil Lamsal

The two foreign secretaries held delegation-level talks on November 4 and reviewed cooperation across sectors.

Misri also met a group of parliamentarians, including members of the India-Nepal Parliamentary Friendship Group and Nepal’s Parliamentary Committee on International Relations and Tourism.

Nepal’s leaders thanked India for what the release called swift and substantial humanitarian and technical help after the Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi floods.

Areas of cooperation

Both sides noted growing engagement in trade and commerce, development partnership, hydropower, physical connectivity, border management, energy and people-to-people ties.

They also named newer areas: start-ups, digital connectivity, artificial intelligence and sports.

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the partnership, the release said, describing the visit as part of a tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries.