India invites Prime Minister Shah for official visit

KATHMANDU: India has extended an invitation to Prime Minister Balendra Shah for an official visit, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Speaking at a regular press briefing on Tuesday, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the development. Responding to a question on whether an invitation had been sent to Prime Minister Balendra Shah of Nepal, Jaiswal said, “An invitation has been extended to the Prime Minister of Nepal to visit India.”

In another query on whether Indian officials have met Shah’s emissaries in New Delhi, Jaiswal said he had no information regarding reports of recent visits by Nepali emissaries to India.

Several Nepali media outlets have claimed that the Prime Minister Shah’s Chief Adviser Kumar Ben recently traveled to India to prepare for Shah’s visit. Ben reportedly met India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, among other officials, during the visit.