World · India Bureau
Nepal PM meets Indian foreign secretary after earlier protocol dispute
Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah has reversed his earlier stance by meeting with India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, just weeks after declining a similar meeting over protocol concerns at the start of the year.
LSN India ·
Prime Minister Balendra Shah of Nepal met with Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday, marking a significant shift in diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries. The meeting comes ahead of Shah's scheduled visit to India later this month.
Earlier this year, Shah had declined to meet with Misri, citing protocol-related concerns that had become a point of political contention in Nepal. The refusal had underscored tensions in bilateral relations and raised questions about New Delhi-Kathmandu ties during a sensitive period.
Thursday's engagement signals a thaw in diplomatic tensions, with the two officials meeting to prepare ground for the Prime Minister's imminent India visit. The reversal suggests both nations have moved past the protocol dispute that had strained their interaction.
Nepal and India share deep historical, cultural, and economic ties, though bilateral relations have occasionally been tested by disagreements over border demarcation and regional political issues. The renewed diplomatic engagement is expected to facilitate discussions on matters of mutual interest during Shah's visit to India later this month.