Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah in Kathmandu on Thursday, with talks focused on "possible outcomes and initiatives" from Shah's expected visit to New Delhi, The Hindu reported.
Misri conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to the joint press release posted by Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The release said he "highlighted the wide-ranging engagement and overall progress in diverse areas of bilateral cooperation".
Who he met
During the visit on November 4 and 5, Misri also met Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle, Foreign Minister Sisir Khanal, Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha and Infrastructure Minister Sunil Lamsal. He held detailed talks with his counterpart, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai.
The discussions covered commerce and development, hydropower, connectivity, border management, energy and people-to-people ties, as well as newer areas such as digital connectivity and AI.
Nepal's leaders expressed "gratitude for India's swift and substantial humanitarian and technical assistance in the aftermath of the Bhotekoshi floods", the release said.
Why it matters
This was the first high-level visit from India since Shah took office. He was sworn in as Prime Minister in March, after the Gen-Z uprising of September 2025 ousted the previous government.
Ties have had a sticking point. Earlier this year Shah raised the dispute over the Lipulekh-Kalapani-Limpiyadhura area, which is part of India's Uttarakhand but claimed by Nepal, and sought to involve other countries such as the UK and China. India wants the matter settled bilaterally, The Hindu reported.
What next
No date has been announced for Shah's visit to India.