Shah’s India visit under consideration, date yet to be finalised: Foreign Minister Khanal
Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s visit to India was under consideration and would take place at an appropriate time, although no date has been finalised.
Speaking to reporters upon his arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport after attending the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Khanal said both Nepal and India wanted the visit to be “fruitful and result-oriented”.
Shah is expected to make his first official bilateral visit to India since taking office on March 27. Both sides have begun preparations for the trip, with discussions under way on possible deliverables and outcomes.
During a farewell call with the prime minister on Tuesday, outgoing Indian ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava also discussed Shah’s proposed India visit. The trip is most likely to take place after the second week of November, according to officials.
“I have taken up the matter to this stage, but my successor will forward it,” Srivastava told the prime minister, according to officials. “I will positively contribute to strengthening Nepal-India relations.”
Srivastava, who has completed his four-year term as India’s ambassador to Nepal, is returning to New Delhi on Wednesday after retiring from the Indian Foreign Service.
Nepal and India have reached some initial understanding on the possible deliverables and outcomes of Shah’s visit.
Khanal also discussed the proposed visit with his Indian counterpart, S Jaishankar, during his stay in New York.
The Indian government formally invited Shah soon after the formation of his government, Khanal said, adding that preparations were now under way. “As we have been saying from the beginning, the prime minister received an invitation as soon as the government was formed, and we took it positively,” Khanal said. “We are preparing to make a result-oriented visit at an appropriate opportunity.”
Asked when the visit would take place, Khanal said there was no certainty yet. “As of today, it has not been decided when the visit will take place. However, both sides expect and want the visit to be as fruitful and result-oriented as possible,” he said.
Khanal also said Shah’s address to the UN General Assembly had attracted considerable international attention.
He said there had been significant interest in how the prime minister, who came to power following the country’s recent political change, would present Nepal on the global stage. “After his address, his speech became a headline in news outlets around the world,” Khanal said. “The video of his address has also been the most-watched speech at this year’s UN General Assembly. This clearly shows the level of interest in him around the world.”
Shah addressed the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on September 24, highlighting Nepal’s concerns over climate change and the impact of disasters on mountain communities, among other issues.
