Nepal Prime Minister Balendra 'Balen' Shah has accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit India. Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said Kathmandu has agreed to the visit and that officials from both sides are coordinating preparations. He noted that the New Delhi trip would mark Shah’s first major diplomatic engagement since assuming office.
The previous official visit by a Nepali Prime Minister to India took place in June 2023, when Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda travelled to New Delhi. Shah’s proposed visit to India is significant as it marks his first major diplomatic outreach since assuming office and signals an effort to reset ties with Kathmandu’s most important neighbor.
India remains Nepal’s largest trade partner, key transit route, and a major stakeholder in infrastructure, energy, and connectivity projects, making early engagement politically and economically important.
The visit is also expected to focus on cross-border cooperation, trade facilitation, and people-to-people movement, given the open border between Nepal and India. Diplomatically, the trip carries weight because it comes as Shah pushes governance reforms at home, and stronger ties with New Delhi could help support development initiatives.
Shah recently secured a surprise electoral victory in Nepal, emerging as a major political force despite lacking backing from traditional parties. Contesting on an anti-establishment plank, Shah capitalized on public frustration while his campaign focused on administrative reforms, transparency, and youth-driven change.
