External Affairs Minister of India Sushma Swaraj will meet with CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli first after she arrives in Kathmandu on Thursday on a two-day visit.

Swaraj will convey the “special political message” of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has already expressed his readiness to work with the new government, to Oli.

After meeting Oli, the Swaraj will have a meeting with the presidium members of the Rastriya Janata Party, Nepal. On Friday, she will meet CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, before calling on Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Before returning to New Delhi, she will pay a courtesy call on President Bidya Devi Bhandari.

Apart from these formal engagements, according to sources, Swaraj will have dinner and breakfast meetings with political leaders on Thursday and Friday. The visit taking place ahead of the left alliance of the UML and the Maoist Centre forming its government in Kathmandu is viewed with interest.

A Foreign Ministry official said that the Nepali side, in its meeting with the Indian delegation, will push for early implementation of projects funded by India.

“The visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level political exchanges between India and Nepal, and reflects the expanding bilateral partnership and the importance that the two countries attach to further strengthening it across diverse sectors,” the Ministry of External Affairs of India said while announcing the visit.

“The visit will provide an opportunity to hold discussions with political leaders of Nepal on issues of mutual interest, and to advance age-old special ties of friendship between India and Nepal.”