Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri paid a courtesy call on Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chairperson Rabi Lamichhane during his two-day official visit to Nepal.
Misri visited Lamichhane’s residence in Budhanilkantha on Thursday and held talks with the RSP chair.
During the meeting, Lamichhane recalled his previous official visit to India and wished success for the high-level visits planned between the two countries in the coming days. He also highlighted Nepal’s growing emphasis on development and economic diplomacy.
The two discussed various aspects of the multidimensional relationship between Nepal and India and explored ways to further strengthen the longstanding ties between the neighbors.
Earlier, Misri held a courtesy call on Prime Minister Balendra Shah at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar.
During the meeting, Shah thanked the Indian government for providing relief supplies and deploying rescue teams as a first responder following the devastating Bhotekoshi floods in Nepal.
Shah also expressed gratitude to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for calling him and expressing India’s solidarity and willingness to support Nepal while the country was dealing with the disaster.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Shah also expressed interest in exploring ways to cooperate with India in developing Nepal’s sports sector.
During the courtesy meeting, Misri conveyed Modi’s message that preparations for Shah’s upcoming visit to India were being expedited. He said India was making arrangements to ensure the success of the prime minister’s visit.
Misri also said that regular meetings of bilateral mechanisms between Nepal and India on energy, water resources, trade and transit, and aviation had been successfully held.
He informed Shah that preparations for operating a railway service between Ayodhya in India and Janakpur in Nepal had been completed. Misri also told the prime minister that a trial run on the route had been conducted on Thursday.
Misri arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday for a two-day official visit at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart, Amrit Bahadur Rai. During his stay, he held meetings with Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal, Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle, Infrastructure Development Minister Sunil Lamsal and Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha. He is also reported to have met a leader of the main opposition, the Nepali Congress.
Misri returned to India on Thursday afternoon after completing his engagements.
