Prime Minister Balendra Shah will not undertake any foreign trips for at least one year. Speaking in the Fireside interview show on Kantipur Television, newly-appointed general secretary of the ruling Rastriya Swantantra Party (RSP), Bhoop Dev Shah, revealed that the prime minister will not go on any foreign trips for at least a year.

“He will obviously go on foreign trips. But first, he will focus on the issues of the general population and development,” he said. “He will not go on any foreign trips for at least one year as per our discussion.”

Since the restoration of multiparty democracy in 1990, Nepali prime ministers have been known to move quickly when it comes to foreign trips. The quickest such trip came when Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal visited China for the Olympics in 2008 in less than one month into his tenure. Until KP Sharma Oli’s last prime ministership, India was the almost universal first stop for a new Nepali prime minister to signal diplomatic alignment. Since 2014, five of the six prime ministers visited India first.

Foreign policy analysts say Prime Minister Shah’s decision not to undertake any foreign visits for at least a year does not mark a major shift in foreign policy, but does signal a cautious approach to foreign relations.

“Nepali prime ministers are infamous for their quick foreign trips following their appointment. PM Shah’s approach reveals a level of maturity uncommon in Nepali politics,” foreign affairs analyst Chandra Dev Bhatta said. “He has signalled that he prioritises domestic issues over foreign trips. Meanwhile, the foreign ministry is diligently managing foreign affairs and maintaining the balancing act with our neighbours.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shah will not participate in the upcoming general convention of the RSP. Speaking in an interview with the Post, General Secretary Shah revealed that the prime minister will observe the convention from the sidelines.

“He will, like any ordinary citizen, follow updates on the convention through the news,” Shah told the Post, “Instead, his focus will remain strictly on his executive role in the government.” He clarified that the prime minister will observe the proceedings rather than taking an active part in the internal party event.

Since Baburam Bhattarai’s premiership (2011-2013), chairs of ruling parties have held the prime ministership, with Khil Raj Regmi (2013-2014) and Sushila Karki (2025-2026) being exceptions as both headed election governments. Traditionally, prime ministers attend their party’s general conventions. The RSP’s move to appoint Shah as prime minister was hailed as a part of the ‘one-person one-position’ system whereby the party chair is confined to that role while another leader from the party heads the government.

In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi regularly attends the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) national convention and plays a highly proactive, central role. Rather than a passive presence, his participation typically sets the event’s agenda and strategy.

Political analysts argue that while PM Shah is under no compulsion to attend the general convention, he should attend it since he is a member of the party.

“Prime Minister Shah is a part and parcel of the party. He contested the election from the RSP and leads the current government with the support of nearly two-thirds majority in the House,” political analyst Lok Raj Baral said. “If he decides not to attend the convention, it will mark an abrupt departure from the usual practice.”

According to a central committee member of the RSP, the general convention will likely be held after 5-6 months. The party is currently in the process of drafting the procedures for its upcoming general convention, with a series of lower-level conventions leading up to it. The party’s central committee and secretariat are actively discussing and drafting the general convention procedures, with its district-level conventions having started on Tuesday.

Analyst Baral said the onus also lies squarely on the shoulders of PM Shah to participate in the general convention as RSP President Rabi Lamichhane has been defending the government’s moves in the absence of any public statement from PM Shah.

“We have not heard Shah speak since he assumed prime ministership. Lamichhane has been defending him since Shah is a member of the RSP,” Baral said. “Since the party is defending Shah’s action, it would make sense for him to extend the same goodwill towards the party.”

When asked why PM Shah has not spoken publicly since he was appointed prime minister, General Secretary Shah mentioned that Prime Minister Shah is more focused on his executive role.

“I think his media appearances have just decreased, that’s all. It’s just a perception people have, but he has simply reduced his media engagement,” Shah said. “Once you have delivered the work, there is no need for constant talk; one doesn’t have to keep speaking.”

Amid rising speculation of friction between PM Shah and Lamichhane, General Secretary Shah claimed that their relationship has actually gotten stronger.

“There is no such thing as friction between the duo. Their relationship has become more profound. Every decision one makes is made after consultation between the two,” Shah told the Post. “They discuss matters every morning; to my knowledge, no significant step has been taken without such discussion.”