Fiscal Nepal
First Business News Portal in English from Nepal
KATHMANDU: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has formally invited Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to visit India, signaling renewed high-level engagement between the two countries as bilateral relations enter a new phase of dialogue and cooperation.
The invitation was delivered on Sunday by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who arrived in Kathmandu carrying Modi’s personal letter. Misri paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Oli and handed over the official invitation, stating that the visit could take place on a mutually convenient date for both sides.
After returning to Delhi on Monday, the Embassy of India in Kathmandu issued a statement confirming the invitation. The embassy stated: “The Foreign Secretary handed over the formal invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to visit India at a date mutually convenient to both sides.”
Prime Minister Oli is already preparing for a two-day visit to Bodh Gaya, India, on August 31, although the visit has not yet been formally announced by either side.
High-Level Meetings and Diplomatic Outreach
During his stay in Nepal, Foreign Secretary Misri also called on President Ramchandra Paudel, Prime Minister Oli, and Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba in separate courtesy meetings. According to the Indian Embassy, Misri conveyed best wishes from the Indian leadership and reviewed recent progress in areas of mutual interest including connectivity, defense cooperation, and energy partnership.
The Foreign Secretary also met with the Chief of the Nepal Army, General Ashok Raj Sigdel, and handed over defense materials and equipment as part of longstanding bilateral defense cooperation.
Both sides expressed satisfaction over tangible progress achieved in recent years in areas such as physical and digital connectivity, defense and security cooperation, and energy collaboration. The embassy noted that the Foreign Secretary’s visit helped continue the tradition of high-level exchanges and will contribute to taking the bilateral relationship forward.
This invitation comes at a time when Nepal–India ties have seen both engagement and friction over the past few years. Prime Minister Oli, during his earlier tenure, had disagreements with New Delhi over territorial boundary issues, leading to strained ties. However, both governments have recently shown signs of restoring high-level communication, with emphasis on infrastructure projects, trade, cross-border energy transmission and transit facilities.
Misri’s visit — which included meetings with several senior Nepali political leaders — is seen as an effort by India to reassert ties amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in the region. The direct handover of Modi’s invitation letter is being interpreted as a diplomatic gesture towards rebuilding political rapport with Oli’s leadership.
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