India delays Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s trip to Nepal.

The planned visit of Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Kathmandu has been delayed for the time being, according to the Kathmandu Post.

Misri was set to embark on a two-day trip to engage with the newly established government headed by Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah and to discuss the future trajectory of bilateral relations.

This situation has sparked speculation regarding the current status of India-Nepal relations, with reports indicating Prime Minister Shah’s reluctance to meet foreign officials with ranks lower than a foreign minister, along with recent tensions surrounding the Lipulekh boundary dispute.

The visit was also expected to serve as a follow-up to the discussions held in April between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Nepal Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal during the Indian Ocean Conference in Mauritius.

During the planned visit, Misri was likely to meet with Prime Minister Shah and extend a formal invitation for him to visit India.

In the meantime, India has invited all IBCA member countries, including Nepal, to the summit scheduled for June 1 in New Delhi.

Earlier on Friday, Nepal affirmed its commitment to resolving the border dispute with India through diplomatic means.

“We have already made our position on Lipulekh public. We have also shared our stance on the proposed Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage between India and China via Nepali territory, Lipulekh,” stated Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Chhetri.
Nepal has shown its willingness to address the issue in the context of the close and friendly relations with India, Chhetri mentioned.

His remarks followed India’s firm rejection of Nepal’s opposition to the upcoming Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the long-established Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, labeling Kathmandu’s territorial claims as an “unilateral artificial enlargement” that New Delhi finds “untenable.”

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New Delhi’s strong response came after the Nepalese foreign ministry raised objections to preparations by India and China for the annual pilgrimage via Lipulekh Pass, asserting territorial rights over the area.

(With agency input)