Foreign Minister Khanal Begins Diplomatic Meetings Soon After Arriving in Delhi

Kathmandu. Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal has begun diplomatic meetings soon after arriving in New Delhi during his official visit to India.

Minister Khanal, who is on a three-day visit to India at the invitation of Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, held his first meeting on Friday with India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. According to sources, the meeting between Khanal and Doval took place after 5 p.m. at the “Seva Teerth” building, which also houses the Prime Minister’s Office.

Minister Khanal, who is staying at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Delhi, reached Seva Teerth from the hotel for the meeting. His visit is being viewed as an effort to advance high-level political and diplomatic dialogue between Nepal and India.

Earlier, Rastriya Swatantra Party Chair Rabi Lamichhane, who had visited India at the invitation of the Bharatiya Janata Party, was also staying at the same hotel. Lamichhane, who was returning to Kathmandu after completing his five-day visit, briefly met Minister Khanal at the ceremonial lounge of Indira Gandhi International Airport. Lamichhane returned to Kathmandu on the same Nepal Airlines flight on which Khanal had arrived in Delhi.

Minister Khanal is scheduled to hold bilateral and delegation-level talks with his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar on Saturday. The meetings are expected to discuss issues of mutual interest, development cooperation, economic partnership, trade, connectivity and people-to-people relations between the two countries.

During the visit, Khanal is also likely to pay a courtesy call on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The high-level ministerial visit from Nepal to India after the formation of the new government is being seen as an opportunity to further activate bilateral relations.