Nepal’s Foreign Minister begins three-day India visit

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X: “Warm welcome to Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal of Nepal for his first official visit to India. Continuing with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges, the visit will help further strengthen the special partnership between India and Nepal.”

The MEA spokesperson said, “The Nepali Foreign Minister has just arrived and will be meeting our External Affairs Minister. We have an expansive agenda with Nepal, ranging from development cooperation and people-to-people ties to trade and investment. We are keen to further strengthen this multifaceted partnership.”

Asked if Jaishankar would discuss the recent comments by Nepal’s Prime Minister, alleging that India has occupied some of their territory, Jaiswal said: “The meeting will cover all relevant bilateral issues. Regarding border matters, we have already clarified our position and have a bilateral mechanism in place to discuss and resolve such issues. We will provide updates on any high-level visits at the appropriate time.”

The Nepal Foreign Ministry issued a statement: “The two sides will discuss matters of mutual interest, with a view to enhancing cooperation across key areas including trade, investment, connectivity, energy and people-to-people ties.”