KATHMANDU, Aug 7: Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is scheduled to visit Nepal on August 17 for two days, as part of preparations for Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s upcoming visit to India. The visit signals a renewed diplomatic momentum between the two neighbours following recent high-level engagements.
Officials from both the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed Misri’s travel plans to ANI. The invitation had been extended last month by Nepal’s Foreign Secretary, and formal preparations for his visit are already underway.
“Foreign Secretary Misri will arrive in Kathmandu on August 17. The visit is part of the regular diplomatic exchanges between our two countries. He will also carry the official invitation for Prime Minister Oli’s visit to India,” a senior official at Nepal’s Foreign Ministry told ANI.
During his visit, Misri will hold talks with his Nepali counterpart and other senior officials to assess progress on Indian-funded infrastructure and development projects in Nepal. Discussions will also cover bilateral cooperation across energy, trade, connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges.
This will be Misri’s second visit to Nepal in a year. His last trip took place in August 2024.
PM Oli is expected to travel to India in September, likely around the 16th, for a two-day official visit — though sources suggest the itinerary might be extended depending on outcomes from Misri’s meetings in Kathmandu.
This would mark Oli’s first visit to India since he assumed office for a fourth term in July last year. Notably, he broke diplomatic tradition by choosing China for his first foreign visit instead of India — a move closely watched by regional analysts.
In April, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and PM Oli met on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. The two leaders expressed satisfaction over the state of bilateral ties and acknowledged progress in key areas like cross-border energy trade, road and rail connectivity, and grassroots exchanges.
Oli’s upcoming trip is expected to inject fresh energy into India-Nepal relations, especially as both countries navigate a changing regional landscape. Misri’s visit will lay the groundwork for high-level agreements and signal New Delhi’s continued strategic interest in its Himalayan neighbour.