Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri began a two-day visit to Kathmandu on Wednesday with a meeting with Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, as the two sides discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation and strengthen ties between the neighbours.

Misri, who arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday morning at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart Amrit Bahadur Rai, paid a courtesy call on Khanal at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to the ministry, the meeting covered ways to deepen the multifaceted partnership and strengthen the longstanding ties of friendship between Nepal and India.

Misri is scheduled to hold delegation-level talks with Rai over a working lunch on Wednesday. The discussions will cover the full range of bilateral relations, including Nepal’s proposed economic package with India, preparations for Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s planned visit to India, a review of Indian-funded projects in Nepal and potential new areas of cooperation.

During his stay, Misri is also scheduled to meet Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle. He will call on Prime Minister Shah on Thursday before returning to New Delhi, a senior foreign ministry official said. Misri is expected to convey an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Shah to visit India.

Shah’s proposed visit, which would be his first bilateral trip to India since taking office, is expected to take place later this month. Neither government has formally announced the dates.

In a statement announcing Misri’s visit, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said he would discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest with Nepali officials. It described relations between the two countries as strong and friendly, and said cooperation had made significant progress across various sectors.

“Misri’s visit will continue the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and contribute to further strengthening the overall bilateral partnership,” the ministry said.

The visit follows a period of diplomatic unease. Misri was originally scheduled to visit Kathmandu in May, but the trip was postponed amid reported differences over protocol and renewed tensions over the Lipulekh boundary dispute.

The dispute resurfaced in early May after Nepal objected to India’s plans to facilitate the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage through Lipulekh, a mountain pass near the Nepal-India-China tri-junction that Kathmandu claims as its territory.

This is Misri’s second visit to Kathmandu since he took office as India’s foreign secretary in July 2024.