Nepal Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba to visit India ahead of PM Oli’s trip

Nepal’s Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba is likely to visit New Delhi by the end of August to lay the groundwork for Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s official visit to India in September. Sources said Foreign Minister Rana will travel to Delhi for a routine health check-up, but her trip is also expected to include official meetings. She is likely to meet Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar as part of the preparations for PM Oli’s visit.

Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to travel to Bodh Gaya in Bihar next month, where he will hold bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Breaking tradition, India will host Oli in Bodh Gaya instead of New Delhi. The Buddhist pilgrimage site, where Lord Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment, carries deep cultural and spiritual significance for both nations.

This will mark Oli’s first trip to India since assuming office in July last year.

Both sides are planning delegation-level talks, luncheon meetings between Oli and Modi, and a joint press conference at the International Convention Centre in Bodh Gaya.

The first official confirmation of Oli’s visit came during Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s recent trip to Nepal. During the August 17–18 visit, Misri formally handed over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to Oli, according to a statement from the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.

While in Kathmandu, Misri met with President Ramchandra Poudel, Prime Minister Oli, Foreign Minister Rana, and other dignitaries.

He also held wide-ranging discussions with his Nepali counterpart, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, and reviewed progress in bilateral initiatives and explored opportunities for further cooperation, including possible outcomes of Oli’s forthcoming visit.