By extending a warm reception to Lamichhane, New Delhi underscored its determination to maintain momentum in bilateral ties amid political transitions in Kathmandu and reset its relationship with the Himalayan nation

Two back-to-back visits from Nepal’s top leaders last week demonstrated Delhi’s proactive diplomacy. For Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chairman Rabi Lamichhane, the visit was godsend, even if it was party-to-party, as he met top leaders. This is significant due to the uncertainty over Prime Minister Balen Shah’s travels abroad during the first year of his tenure, which will be dedicated to ‘domestic issues’ of good governance and accountability. There were reports that he might go to the UNGA in New York and visit India either before or after it. But everything remains in the realm of speculation. Bhupdev Shah, the party general secretary and right-hand man, was known to have said in an interview to a Kathmandu portal that Balen was focused on achieving 100 goals in 100 days and would stay in the country for the first year.

This, and the fact that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s travel to Kathmandu in mid-May — with an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Prime Minister Balen Shah to visit India — did not take place, confirmed that no visit from Shah should be expected this year. This will stir speculation that the Chinese might take advantage of the diplomatic vacuum, but the conversation in Kathmandu is mainly about which country Shah will visit first: India or China.

As part of India’s Neighbourhood First policy, Delhi acted with great alacrity when Foreign Minister S Jaishankar was the first to arrive in Colombo within days of Anura Kumara Dissanayake becoming President, carrying an invitation to visit........

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