Foreign Secretary Arrives In Nepal For 2-Day Official Visit

Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra arrived in Kathmandu on Monday on a two-day official visit to Nepal during which he will hold talks with the country's top political leadership on the entire range of multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.

Mr Kwatra is visiting Nepal at the invitation of his Nepalese counterpart Bharat Raj Paudyal. During his visit, the foreign secretary will pay courtesy calls to Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal 'Prachanda' and Foreign Minister Paudyal.

"@IndiaInNepal welcomes Foreign Secretary Shri Vinay Kwatra who is visiting Nepal from 13-14 February 2023. During the visit, Foreign Secretary will meet Foreign Secretary of Nepal, Mr. Bharat Raj Paudyal & hold discussions on entire range of multifaceted India-Nepal cooperation," the Indian embassy here tweeted.

It is expected that Mr Kwatra will also discuss with his Nepalese interlocutors the possibility of a visit to India by Nepal's Prime Minister Prachanda. Prachanda has said that he will travel to India on his first foreign visit.

Mr Kwatra will also hold a bilateral meeting with Paudyal at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here.

"The Foreign Secretaries of Nepal and India will discuss various matters of bilateral cooperation such as connectivity, power trade, agriculture, health and culture among others," according to a statement issued by Nepal's foreign ministry here on Sunday.

"The visit is in continuation of the regular exchange of visits between the two friendly neighbours," it said.

This will be the first high-level visit from India after Prime Minister Prachanda assumed office for the third time in December.

Besides the official meetings, Foreign Secretary Kwatra is also expected to meet Nepal's top political leaders, including Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN-UML chairman KP Sharma Oli.

Mr Kwatra will leave Kathmandu on February 14, wrapping up his two-day official visit, the statement said.

Mr Kwatra served as India's envoy to Nepal before he assumed charge as the foreign secretary on May 1 last year.

"The visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and the priority India attaches to its relations with Nepal under its 'Neighbourhood First' policy," the Ministry of External Affairs has said.

India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy is an integral component of Indian foreign policy. The policy seeks to build cordial and synergetic relations with India's South Asian neighbours in various areas such as economy, science and technology, research and education, among others.

Nepal is important for India in the context of its overall strategic interests in the region, and the leaders of the two countries have often noted the age-old "Roti Beti" relationship.

The country shares a border of more than 1,850 km with five Indian states - Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Land-locked Nepal relies heavily on India for the transportation of goods and services.

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