KATHMANDU: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chair Rabi Lamichhane is expected to visit India next week.
Lamichhane will be the first senior leader from the ruling coalition to visit India after the government was formed under the leadership of Prime Minister Balendra Shah. The visit is scheduled for June 1–2 at the invitation of India’s Ministry of External Affairs, S Jaishankar.
It is understood that Lamichhane may meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit. However, according to sources, the high-level meeting has not yet been formally confirmed.
During his stay in New Delhi, Lamichhane is expected to meet Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and several other senior officials, according to RSP leaders.
As the visit is party-related, preparations are also underway for Lamichhane to visit the headquarters of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), where he is expected to meet party leaders.
India has previously invited major leaders of Nepal’s ruling parties through its Ministry of External Affairs. Former Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and former Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” had also visited India under similar invitations and held meetings at the BJP headquarters.
Lamichhane’s Delhi visit comes at a time when Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s official visit to India remains uncertain. Following the formation of a two-thirds majority government, Lamichhane’s first visit to India as RSP president is being closely watched. Despite previously serving twice as Home Minister while leading the fourth-largest party in Parliament, he had not visited India before.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s planned visit to Nepal was earlier postponed after he was unable to secure a meeting with Prime Minister Shah. Meanwhile, after India and China announced plans to resume trade through the Lipulekh border point, Nepal sent diplomatic notes to both countries expressing its objection. There has been little progress in Nepal–India relations since the formation of the Balendra Shah-led government.
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