Kathmandu- Nepal’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shisir Khanal, paid an official visit to India beginning June 5, 2026, at the invitation of India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar.
During the visit, the two ministers held bilateral talks in New Delhi on June 6, reviewing the full spectrum of India-Nepal relations, including development cooperation, connectivity, trade and transit, energy, and people-to-people ties. They also exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.
The ministers expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved in bilateral cooperation across various sectors and welcomed recent initiatives aimed at strengthening collaboration in innovation and startups, digital and financial technology, and training and capacity building. They agreed to intensify efforts to further deepen the multifaceted partnership between the two neighboring countries.
Both sides also welcomed the completion of internal procedures required for the entry into force of the India-Nepal Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement in Criminal Matters (MLAA). The agreement is expected to strengthen cooperation in investigations, prosecutions, and judicial proceedings related to cross-border crimes.
Following the talks, India formally handed over 72 health facilities and 12 cultural heritage projects completed under its post-2015 Earthquake Reconstruction Assistance programme for Nepal.
The two ministers also jointly launched the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) linkage between India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Nepal’s National Payments Interface (NPI), a move aimed at facilitating cross-border personal remittances between the two countries.
In addition, they witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Digital India Bhashini and Kathmandu University for the co-creation of a national digital infrastructure to support a “Voice First” language translation platform.
The discussions were held in a warm, friendly, and constructive atmosphere, reflecting the unique and special relationship between India and Nepal.
During his visit, Foreign Minister Khanal also met India’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval.
The visit marked the first foreign minister-level exchange between the two countries since Nepal’s new government assumed office in March 2026. India reaffirmed that Nepal remains a priority partner under its “Neighbourhood First” policy. Both sides noted that the visit helped reinforce the tradition of regular high-level engagement and provided fresh momentum to efforts aimed at advancing bilateral cooperation and fulfilling the aspirations of the peoples of both countries.
