Misri pays courtesy calls on Prez, PM

KATHMANDU: Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who is on a two-day official visit to Nepal, met President Ram Chandra Paudel and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Sunday.

Misri reached the Office of the President on Sunday evening to pay a courtesy call on President Paudel. Issuing a statement, the Office of the President said that various issues of bilateral interest and relations were discussed during the meeting. Paudel emphasized the need for Nepal and India to work together to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Likewise, Indian Foreign Secretary Misri expressed India’s willingness to work on projects prioritized by Nepal, such as energy, agriculture, and tourism.

“Foreign Secretary Misri told President Paudel that India wants to see a stable, peaceful, and prosperous Nepal,” said the President’s Press Advisor Kiran Pokharel.

Misri arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday morning on a two-day visit at the invitation of Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal. This is the highest diplomatic visit from India since CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli began his fourth term as Prime Minister about a month ago.

Before meeting the President, Misri reached the Prime Minister’s Office to pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Oli. “During the meeting, Misri discussed ways to speed up various areas of bilateral cooperation, stressing the close civilizational and multifaceted relations between the two countries,” the Embassy of India in Kathmandu said in a post on X.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Oli extended an invitation to his counterpart Narendra Modi to visit Nepal at a convenient time, according to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat.

Both countries have described Misri’s visit as part of the regular high-level visits between Kathmandu and Delhi.

Misri will also hold official talks with his counterpart Lamsal during the visit.