Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is likely to travel to Nepal next month, the first high-level visit from India after the formation of the Balendra Shah-led government in March, official sources here said on Monday. The visit is expected to take place in the first half of May, the official sources at Nepal's Foreign Affairs Ministry said. The exact date and details of the visit are not yet finalised. Bilateral relations and the review of India-funded projects will be on the agenda during Misri’s visit. Earlier this month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Nepalese counterpart Shisir Khanal in Mauritius on the sidelines of the Indian Ocean Conference, where they held discussions over bilateral relations and mutual cooperation. During the meeting with Khanal, Jaishankar proposed sending Misri to Kathmandu to understand the priorities of the new government, the sources added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Balendra Shah to India in his congratulatory message after Shah assumed the charge of the top executive position of the Himalayan nation in late March. The visit by Foreign Secretary Misri is also expected to prepare the grounds for the visit of the Nepalese Prime Minister Shah to India in the near future. The official announcement regarding the visit is yet to be made.