New Delhi on Friday rolled out the red carpet for Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli who is on a six-day state visit to India with eyes on mending ties that saw an all-time low in recent history following the promulgation of the constitution.

PM Oli was welcomed by India’s Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Nepali Ambassador to India Deep Kumar Upadhyay, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae, senior Nepali and Indian government officials and leaders of the Nepali community in India were also present at the airport.

It was one of the warmest welcomes ever accorded to a Nepali prime minister by the Indian side in recent times.

Earlier in 2006, after the successful Jana Andolan II, then prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala was welcomed by the then Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh.

After 2006, most of the Nepali prime ministers during their visits to the southern neighbour were received either by state ministers or chief of protocol. After receiving Oli at the airport, Swaraj said, “Happy to welcome PM Oli.”

The rare gesture in which India’s external affairs minister was present at the airport to welcome PM Oli means the southern neighbour too wants to repair ties with Nepal, said a diplomatic source privy to the visit.

PM Oli will be accorded ceremonial reception at the forecourts of the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on Saturday.

On Saturday itself, PM Oli will meet his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and hold talks on a wide range of issues following the signing of some memorandums of understanding, including utilisation of India-announced $1 billion line of credit and another $1 billion Indian assistance for Nepal’s reconstruction efforts.

According to officials, Oli and Modi will address a joint press briefing after bilateral talks.

On Friday evening, PM Oli attended a Democracy Day programme hosted by the Embassy of Nepal in New Delhi.