FS Misri wraps up two-day visit to Nepal

Kathmandu, Aug 18 (PTI) Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday wrapped up his two-day visit to Nepal during which he met the country's top leadership and discussed progress in different areas of bilateral cooperation.

Misri, who arrived here at the invitation of his Nepalese counterpart Amrit Bahadur Rai, called on President Ramchandra Paudel, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba during his visit.

"He conveyed to them greetings from the leadership in India and briefed them on the progress being made in various aspects of the mutually-beneficial bilateral cooperation between the two countries," the Indian Embassy said in a press release on Monday.

Misri also handed over a formal invitation to Prime Minister Oli from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit India on mutually convenient dates, it said.

He also held wide-ranging discussions with Rai on Sunday and reviewed the progress made in various bilateral initiatives and discussed opportunities for further collaboration, including possible outcomes that could form a part of the agenda of PM Oli’s forthcoming visit to India.

The foreign secretary also met Nepal Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel and handed over defence stores and equipment, including Light Strike Vehicles (LSVs), critical care medical equipment and military animals to the Nepali Army.

"During the various engagements, both sides noted with satisfaction the concrete progress in recent years in diverse areas of bilateral cooperation, including physical connectivity, digital connectivity, defence & security and energy cooperation," the press release said.

Foreign Secretary Misri also met other senior political leaders, including Nepali Congress President and former PM Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman and former PM Pushpakamal Dahal 'Prachanda'.

Nepal is a priority partner of India under its Neighbourhood First policy.

The foreign secretary's visit continued the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and helped in advancing bilateral ties further, the embassy said. PTI SBP RD ZH RD RD