KATHMANDU: Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli is set to visit India on September 16 at the invitation of his Indian counterpart, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The two-day visit, considered one of the shortest official visits to India by a Nepali prime minister, will conclude on September 17, with the delegation returning to Kathmandu the following day.
Sources at the Prime Minister’s Office have indicated that the visit will focus on enhancing bilateral ties, continuing previous understandings, and advancing selected new projects.
“While major agreements are unlikely during this visit, the emphasis will be on fostering cordial relations and following up on earlier commitments,” a source close to the Prime Minister said.
Preparations are underway for a Home Secretary-level meeting of the Nepal-India Border Working Group, which will take place in New Delhi ahead of Oli’s visit. A preparatory meeting for the Group is scheduled for today (Sunday).
During the BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok, Oli and Modi had held a one-on-one meeting, though it failed to ease tensions. Issues such as the Nepal-India border and the “Chukche” (revised) map are expected to be prioritized in the upcoming visit.
India remains displeased with Nepal’s constitutional amendment that included the new map depicting Limpiyadhura, which was endorsed with unanimous support during Oli’s previous tenure.
Meanwhile, while India had not previously accepted Oli’s invitation for Modi to visit Kathmandu, sources say Modi is now expected to visit Nepal in November.
However, it is likely that the Indian Prime Minister will visit a religious, touristic, or commercially significant location outside the capital, where Prime Minister Oli may receive him. Modi’s visit is also expected to be brief.
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