Kathmandu [Nepal], August 17 : Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Sunday held bilateral talks with Nepali counterpart Amrit Bahadur Rai, discussing a wide range of issues to further bolster the relationship between the two nations.
Both the Foreign Secretaries held the talks behind closed doors in Kathmandu, where they discussed issues of connectivity, trade and development cooperation, as per Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"Foreign Secretary Mr. Amrit Bahadur Rai held bilateral talks with the Foreign Secretary of India, Shri Vikram Misri, in Kathmandu today. The discussions covered a wide range of issues, including connectivity, trade and development cooperation, underscoring the strong bond between the two nations," a tweet from the MoFA stated.
https://x.com/mofanepal/status/1957080509768749452?s=48&t=0HTWU9C_Q912gdU9MXlF4Q
Misri landed in Kathmandu on a special flight of the Air Force, which made a touchdown at 9 AM (Local Time). Misri was received by Nepali counterpart Amrit Bahadur Rai along with the Indian ambassador to Nepal.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India, issuing a release on Saturday, had announced that the visit of Misri comes in line with the Neighbourhood First Policy.
India attaches high priority to its relations with Nepal under its Neighbourhood First policy. The Foreign Secretary's upcoming visit continues the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and will be an opportunity to further advance our bilateral ties," the MEA said in a statement.
The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu on Sunday evening, upon the completion of bilateral talks, tweeted, "Foreign Secretary @VikramMisri met his counterpart Mr. Amrit Bahadur Rai and reviewed the progress in India-Nepal cooperation. They held a comprehensive discussion on initiatives to further strengthen the bilateral ties, and other matters of mutual interest."
https://x.com/IndiaInNepal/status/1957076518301303210
Visit of Misri, which comes in about a year from his last visit, started with the courtesy call on the Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. In the course of the meeting, Misri also extended the invitation for a visit to India from the Indian Prime Minister to his Nepali counterpart, sources confirmed ANI.
On the first day of visit, Misri called on Nepali President Ram Chandra Paudel, former Prime Minister and President of Nepali Congress Sher Bahadur Deuba, Chairman of CPN-Maoist Center Pushpa Kamal Dahal as well as the Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba.
Misri is scheduled to leave Kathmandu on August 18 after completing his two-day program. His visit comes at a time when both countries are working to strengthen their long-standing ties further and deepen cooperation in key areas.