Foreign Secretary of India Vikram Misri handed over a formal invitation to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli from the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, to visit India on mutually convenient dates during his two-day official visit to Nepal.
The visit, conducted at the invitation of Nepal's Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors.
During his visit on August 17-18, Foreign Secretary Misri held high-level meetings with President Ramchandra Paudel, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and Foreign Minister Dr Arzu Rana Deuba. He conveyed warm greetings from India's leadership and discussed the progress in bilateral relations, emphasizing mutually beneficial cooperation.
In a significant gesture, Misri met Chief of Army Staff of Nepali Army, General Ashok Raj Sigdel, and handed over defense supplies, including Light Strike Vehicles (LSVs), critical medical equipment, and military animals. This move underscores the growing defense partnership between the two nations.
In the meeting, the two foreign secretaries reviewed ongoing initiatives and explored new avenues for collaboration, particularly in physical and digital connectivity, defense, security, and energy. These discussions also laid the groundwork for PM Oli's upcoming visit to India, with both sides identifying potential outcomes to be included in the agenda.
"Nepal remains a priority partner under India's Neighborhood First policy," reads the press note issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, India, highlighting the importance of sustained high-level exchanges. Both nations expressed satisfaction with the progress made in recent years and reiterated their commitment to further deepening the historically close relationship.
The visit reinforced the tradition of regular diplomatic engagements between India and Nepal, paving the way for enhanced cooperation and shared prosperity in the coming years.
Misri returned home today, wrapping up his two-day official visit to Nepal.
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