The proposed visit of Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Kathmandu has been postponed, a top government official told the Post. He was scheduled to land in Kathmandu for a two-day visit on May 11.

New Delhi had decided to send its foreign secretary to engage with the new government and understand its priorities. The visit was expected to chart the future course of bilateral ties.

Citing Misri’s other commitments, the Indian side informed Nepal that the trip had been postponed, at least for now, according to multiple government officials who did not want to be named because they are not authorised to speak with the media, adding that the southern neighbour had not given an exact reason for the postponement.

Foreign Ministry officials, privy to the development, give two possible reasons for the postponement. First, Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s refusal to meet the Indian foreign secretary, ignoring repeated requests. Second, the recent dispute between Nepal and India over the Lipulekh trijunction. The Shah administration took serious objection to the decision of India and China to resume Hindu devotees’ pilgrimage to Mansarovar in Tibet from the disputed area.

In the last week of April, the Indian side had communicated that, as per the understanding between Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal and his Indian counterpart, S. Jaishankar in Mauritius, they intended to send Misri to Kathmandu. India had sought confirmation from the Nepali side for the proposed visit on May 11 and 12.

In response, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai sent a formal invitation to Misri, while the Foreign Ministry began groundwork for his visit. Misri was also expected to hand over an invitation to Prime Minister Shah for an India visit.

Foreign Minister Khanal had already announced that Shah had accepted Modi’s invitation and that the two foreign ministries would lay the groundwork for his visit during his meeting with his Indian counterpart, Jaishankar.

Though neither side had officially announced the visit, preparations were in full swing in both Kathmandu and New Delhi.

According to informed sources at the Foreign Ministry, even during a farewell call by Nepal’s outgoing ambassador to India, Shankar Sharma, Misri had told him that his visit to Nepal was on track and that he looked forward to travelling to Kathmandu with renewed enthusiasm.

Shah has been refraining from meeting any foreign officials or leaders below the rank of foreign minister or prime minister. Ignoring the Americans’ request, he had earlier refused to meet US Assistant Secretary of State Samir Paul Kapur and US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for South and Central Asia, Sergio Gor—who is also the US ambassador to India.

He decided to maintain the same policy during Misri’s visit. According to foreign ministry officials, Shah has not heeded Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle and Foreign Minister Khanal’s request to meet senior officials from India, China and the US to maintain cordial relations with those who have helped and supported Nepal for decades.