Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah Begins One-on-One Diplomatic Meetings

Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah met with Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava on Monday at Singha Durbar in Kathmandu. This meeting represents the first one-on-one diplomatic engagement Shah has held since assuming office on March 27, signaling a departure from his previous practice of avoiding individual meetings in favor of group interactions.

During the session, Shah and Srivastava discussed bilateral friendship, development partnerships, and mutual interests. Shah emphasized the need to deepen the historic relationship between the two nations, while Srivastava reaffirmed India's commitment to strengthening ties. These meetings were previously delayed by communal violence in the Terai and Madhesh regions.

The scheduling of these appointments reflects the government's foreign policy priorities. Following the meeting with the Indian envoy, Shah is scheduled to meet Chinese Ambassador Zhang Maoming on Monday afternoon and U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Scott Urbom on Tuesday. This diplomatic shift follows a period in which Shah declined meetings with high-ranking U.S. officials and postponed a visit from Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has previously stated that Nepal intends to transform itself into a bridge connecting its two neighbors.