Nepal is waiting for an invitation for Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to visit India, as stated by Nepali Foreign Minister Arzu Deuba Rana on Saturday, February 22, 2025. In an interview with The Hindu, she expressed optimism about a meeting between Mr. Oli and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the upcoming BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok in April, and also mentioned the expectation of an invitation for Mr. Oli to visit New Delhi in the first half of 2025.
Ms. Rana’s comments suggest a strain in relations between Delhi and Kathmandu due to the delay in India hosting the Nepali PM. Following the perceived delay from India, Mr. Oli visited Beijing in November 2024, further widening the gap.
Despite this, Ms. Rana reported positive discussions with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the Indian Ocean Conference in Muscat, where they addressed various issues including quality control clearances for Nepali goods, progress on hydropower projects, and the resolution of overflight rights for Nepali airports at Pokhara and Bhairahawa.
‘PM busy with State polls’
When asked about a specific date for Mr. Oli’s visit to India, Ms. Rana indicated that he would go “whenever he is invited,” implying that no invitation has been extended yet. She expressed hope for a near-future visit by Mr. Oli.
Regarding the delay in the invitation, Ms. Rana attributed it to the State Assembly elections in India, which occupied the Indian Prime Minister’s schedule. She anticipated a visit by Prime Minister Oli in the first half of the year, with both leaders expected to meet at the BIMSTEC summit in Thailand.
‘Still non-aligned despite BRI’
Ms. Rana dismissed suggestions that India’s hesitation was linked to Mr. Oli’s visit to China and the participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). She emphasized that Nepal remains non-aligned and defended the decision to join the BRI in 2017.
She clarified that the BRI agreements would not necessarily lead to increased indebtedness to China, as Nepal aims for sovereign projects on aid or grant basis. Ms. Rana also mentioned that China has not mandated Nepal to take loans, and while the private sector can do so, the government is cautious due to existing debt service ratios.
Overflight rights resolution
Ms. Rana addressed India’s objections to bringing hydropower from Chinese-run projects onto the Cross-Border South Asian Energy Grid, stating that alternative river basins and projects in Nepal can meet energy needs.
She expressed optimism for resolving the issue of overflight rights, proposing higher altitude flight paths to mitigate security concerns for India. Additionally, she mentioned progress in aligning Nepali exporters with Indian standards and addressing border clearance issues for goods destined for Indian markets.
Published – February 22, 2025 09:05 pm IST
