PM Balendra Shah’s UNGA Address Draws Global Attention Amid Ongoing Bilateral Talks with India
Nepalese Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has confirmed that Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s official visit to India is currently under active consideration and will be scheduled at an appropriate time, though a final date has not yet been locked in. Speaking to reporters upon returning to Tribhuvan International Airport after attending the eighty-first session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Khanal emphasized that both Nepal and India are closely cooperating to ensure the upcoming trip is entirely fruitful and result-oriented. Prime Minister Shah is expected to embark on this significant journey as his first official bilateral trip to New Delhi since assuming office in late March, with both nations already laying the groundwork to define concrete deliverables and outcomes. Preparations gained further traction following discussions between Shah and outgoing Indian ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava during a farewell meeting, where the proposed trip was thoroughly reviewed before Srivastava wrapped up his four-year tenure and returned to New Delhi. Official sources indicate that the visit is most likely to materialize sometime after the second week of November. Khanal also advanced diplomatic preparations by discussing the visit with his Indian counterpart, S. Jaishankar, during their meetings in New York, noting that New Delhi formally extended an invitation shortly after the formation of the current government, which Kathmandu welcomed positively. Meanwhile, Khanal highlighted that Prime Minister Shah’s address to the UN General Assembly on September 24—which focused heavily on critical global issues like climate change and the devastating impacts of natural disasters on vulnerable mountain communities—captured immense international attention. He noted that the prime minister’s remarks generated widespread headlines globally and became the most-watched speech of this year’s UN session, reflecting extraordinary worldwide interest in Nepal’s new leadership following recent political changes. As diplomatic consultations continue between Kathmandu and New Delhi, both governments remain fully committed to finalizing an itinerary that underscores mutual cooperation, strengthens historic bilateral ties, and delivers tangible benefits to both neighboring countries once the official dates are formally announced and scheduled.
