Foreign Secretary of India, Vikram Mishra’s visit to Nepal has been postponed following an important meeting in India, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal informed. He stated that efforts are ongoing to resolve the Lipulekh border dispute between Nepal and India through diplomatic dialogue, with the technical committee actively working on the matter. He also emphasized that Nepal’s foreign policy is based on the principle of non-alignment as per the constitution, and the new government is focusing on economic diplomacy and soft power. On June 6, Kathmandu. With the formation of the new government, public interest in Nepal-India relations has increased. The postponement of Vikram Mishra’s scheduled visit to Nepal and the re-emergence of the Lipulekh border dispute have further heightened these concerns. Such issues have recently been placed on the agenda of the parliamentary committee. Members of parliament have started raising questions in parliamentary forums about the foreign policy the new government may adopt, relations with India, and maintaining a balance with both China and India.
In the meeting of the International Relations and Tourism Committee under the House of Representatives held on Wednesday, Surendra Chaudhary, MP from the Rastriya Swatantra Party, raised questions concerning the postponement of Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Mishra’s Nepal visit. He asked, “It was said that the Indian Foreign Secretary was coming, but since our Prime Minister does not have the portfolio, the meetings could not happen. What is the issue here?” In response, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal explained that the visit was postponed because of important meetings that Foreign Secretary Mishra had in India. “We have received information at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the visit has been postponed due to his internal matters and various significant meetings in India,” the minister stated.
Following the formation of the new government led by Prime Minister Balen, India had decided to send Foreign Secretary Mishra to Kathmandu. The visit was planned to prioritize the new government’s agenda and to provide a fresh dimension to the bilateral relationship, but it was postponed at the last moment. Various levels of discussion on Nepal-India relations have continued in this context. India immediately extended congratulations upon the new government’s formation. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally invited his counterpart Balen to visit India. After the postponement of Mishra’s visit, some parties expressed skepticism. However, Foreign Minister Khanal stated that the situation is not as severe as some media headlines suggest.
In the parliamentary committee meeting, Minister Khanal also shared details about his meeting with the Indian Ambassador. “During a formal meeting, the ambassador smiled and said—if you only watch the media, it seems like we are at war,” Khanal recounted. “We have received cordiality in formal procedures and dialogues.” However, he commented that a wrong perception has been created around this matter. Khanal stated, “The current narrative suggests that Nepal-India relations have significantly cooled due to the canceled visit, but that is not reflected in our formal dialogues.” He added, “We are engaged in close discussions on various issues. We are also holding diverse talks on connectivity between Nepal and India.”
