August 8, 2024
KATHMANDU – Kathmandu is set to receive two high-profile foreign delegations by mid-August, in what will be the first high-level visits from India and the United States after the formation of the KP Sharma Oli government.
A joint secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the new Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri is scheduled to come to Kathmandu early next week on his introductory visit. Misri took up his new role on July 15, succeeding Vinay Mohan Kwatra, who served as Indian ambassador to Nepal from March 2020 to April 2022.
Despite the evolving situation in Bangladesh, Misri’s visit is still on track, although it may be postponed, according to officials. However, New Delhi has yet to officially confirm his trip to Kathmandu.
On assuming office, Mishri undertook the first familiarisation visit to Bhutan on July 18, the South Asian Himalayan nation that India gives high priority. “The visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between India and Bhutan and underscores the highest priority the Government of India attaches to its ‘Neighbourhood First’ Policy,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement while announcing his visit to the tiny Himalayan nation.
“As is customary, after assuming office, new foreign secretaries make a round across the South Asian countries to update themselves and to take stock of bilateral relations,” said the joint secretary, who does not want to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media. This is the context in which the new Indian foreign secretary is visiting Kathmandu.
Before being promoted to Indian foreign secretary, Misri served as deputy national security adviser of India.
The 59-year-old has a distinguished career, having served as private secretary to three prime ministers—Inder Kumar Gujral in 1997, Manmohan Singh in 2012, and Narendra Modi in 2014.
Known as a China expert within the Indian foreign policy establishment, Misri was India’s ambassador to China (2019-2021) and played a big role in India-China discussions following the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes that resulted from the actions of the Chinese military in eastern Ladakh.
“If events in Bangladesh become unpredictable, then the visit might be postponed. Otherwise, he is definitely coming,” said the joint secretary. Misri is scheduled to spend two days in Kathmandu.
During the visit, he will call on President Ramchandra Paudel, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and Foreign Minister Arzu Rana, and hold bilateral meetings with his Nepali counterpart, Sewa Lamsal.
“Although this will be Misri’s inaugural visit and no bilateral issues are on the agenda, some issues of mutual interest will be discussed during high-level meetings,” said an undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Likewise, Washington DC has communicated that Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard R Verma will be travelling to Kathmandu in mid-August. But sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to divulge details of his visit. He will be the seniormost US official to visit Nepal since the Oli government took office.
“He might meet senior government officials, but there is no official confirmation about such meetings,” said the foreign ministry undersecretary.
Verma was in the news in April this year after Republican Congressman Barian Mast claimed that the US government had spent half a million US dollars to promote atheism in Nepal. Verma had testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability and denied such a charge.
“It would not be appropriate to have a grant to promote any religion or non-religion coming from the United States,” said Verma during the testimony. “That’s not what the grant is for, and that’s not what the work would be for, and frankly we would never authorise such a grant to any organisation to promote any kind of religion.”