KATHMANDU: The scheduled visit of Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Nepal has been cancelled at the last moment.
According to a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Misri was due to arrive in Kathmandu for a two-day visit starting Monday, but the trip was called off unexpectedly.
Following the formation of a new government under Balen Shah on March 27, New Delhi had decided to send Foreign Secretary Misri to Kathmandu. During the visit, Misri was also expected to extend an invitation to Prime Minister Shah for an official visit to India.
However, the visit did not materialise after the Prime Minister reportedly did not allocate time for a meeting with the visiting Indian official, according to sources.
Misri was expected to arrive in Nepal on Sunday for the official programme scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. He had been invited by Nepal’s Foreign Secretary Amrit Rai, and the visit was expected to focus on strengthening bilateral ties and discussing various aspects of the two countries’ multifaceted relations.
The Indian side had reportedly considered the visit important in the context of engaging with the new political leadership in Kathmandu. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier extended congratulations to leaders including Balen Shah and Rastriya Swatantra Party chair Rabi Lamichhane following political developments in Nepal.
However, the visit was stalled after it became clear that high-level meetings, including with the Prime Minister, would not be possible during the trip.
Sources claim Misri had planned meetings with top political leaders, including Prime Minister Shah, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal, and even President Ramchandra Paudel.
Meanwhile, the Indian side has informed Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the visit has been postponed due to other engagements in Misri’s schedule. Neither the Indian government nor the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has issued an official statement explaining the sudden cancellation.
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