India formally invites Nepal PM Balendra Shah for visit to New Delhi

Formal Invitation Extended Through Diplomatic Channels

NEW DELHI — India has formally invited Nepal’s new Prime Minister, Balendra Shah, to visit New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Tuesday (July 28, 2026).

The official confirmation follows reports in Nepali media that Mr. Shah’s advisor, Kumar Ben, visited New Delhi in early July and discussed the potential visit with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

Background to the Invitation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had congratulated Mr. Shah on social media shortly after the Nepali leader’s electoral victory in March. In his message, Mr. Modi stated:

“Your appointment reflects the trust reposed in your leadership by the people of Nepal. I look forward to working closely with you to take India-Nepal friendship and cooperation to even greater heights for the mutual benefit of our two peoples.”

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the development in response to a question from The Hindu on Tuesday. Officials noted that Mr. Modi’s congratulatory message initiated the process, and the formal invitation was subsequently sent through proper diplomatic channels.

Evolving Bilateral Relationship

Following the victory of Mr. Shah’s Rastriya Swatantra Party, there were reports that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri was expected to visit Kathmandu in May. However, the visit did not materialize, as Mr. Shah reportedly declined to engage with visiting high-level foreign bureaucrats, insisting he would meet political counterparts in other countries.

Key developments in bilateral engagement include:

• June 6–7: Nepal’s Foreign Minister Sisir Khanal visited Delhi. He had been scheduled to attend the Big Cat Alliance meeting on the sidelines of the India-Africa Forum Summit. After the summit was postponed due to an Ebola outbreak in Africa, Mr. Khanal remained for a bilateral visit.
• First week of June: India hosted Rabi Lamichhane, chairman of the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party.

Domestic and Diplomatic Signals

Reports from Kathmandu had earlier indicated that Mr. Shah had taken a vow not to travel abroad after coming to power, stating his focus would remain on domestic priorities during the initial phase of his government’s tenure.

At the same time, Mr. Shah raised the Kalapani-Lipulekh-Limpiyadhura territorial dispute with India in a statement to the Nepali parliament. He noted that Nepal is in talks with the United Kingdom regarding historical documents necessary for researching the dispute, and also sought discussions with China on the matter.

Published - July 28, 2026 11:26 pm IST