PM Balen Shah has Accepted PM Modi's invite to visit India: FM Khanal
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "PM Balen Shah has Accepted PM Modi's invite to visit India: FM Khanal")
Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah Photograph: (ANI)
Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal emphasised continuity in Nepal's foreign policy while aligning it firmly with national interests.
Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has announced that Prime Minister Balen Shah has accepted an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit India. Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal on the sidelines of the Indian Ocean Conference in Mauritius, Mr Khanal described the invitation as a positive step following recent political changes in Kathmandu.
"As soon as elections were held, PM Modi spoke to our leaders," he said. He added that he had held discussions with India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Mauritius, where the two reviewed the longstanding bilateral relationship.
Mr Khanal emphasised continuity in Nepal's foreign policy while aligning it firmly with national interests. "New doesn't mean discontinuity. Our fundamental values remain the same. In terms of relationships with neighbours and partners, they will be linked to national interest," he told reporters.
The minister highlighted practical steps ahead. Nepal and India maintain around 40 different bilateral mechanisms, and the new government in Kathmandu is now conducting an internal review to set clear priorities. "We are trying to set up priorities. We will look internally on our own priority," Mr Khanal said.
On Nepal's broader vision, he spoke of ambitious development goals. The government aims to double the country's GDP within a decade through strong governance and an anti-corruption drive. "We want to get to our point in 10 years – GDP doubles. We have a strong anti-graft position [and focus on] good governance," he noted.
Mr Khanal also addressed global concerns during his meeting with Mr Jaishankar. The ongoing situation in West Asia figured prominently. Nepal has a significant diaspora in the Gulf region, and the minister pointed to the human and economic costs of instability. "We have a big diaspora in the Gulf. Unfortunately, when UAE was attacked, a Nepali national lost [his life]. Rising fuel costs impact remittances and fertiliser issues," he said. These matters were discussed in detail with the Indian external affairs minister. India on its part has provided support to countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka with fuel supplies as global fuel prices escalated.
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On the Indian Ocean, Nepal reiterated its stake in maritime matters. "We have rights as a landlocked country to the Indian Ocean," Mr Khanal affirmed while attending the conference, hosted by India Foundation in Port Louis.
