KATHMANDU, July 1 (Nepal Foreign Affairs)–Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who is also the in-charge of foreign affairs, is visiting India early next week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.
Mahara will be visiting the Indian Capital New Delhi from July 2 to 4 at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj.
This is the first foreign trip of Mahara since the formation of Deuba-led coalition government earlier this month.
During the visit, Mahara is going to meet Swaraj and exchange views on matters of mutual interest, Foreign Ministry said.
External Affairs Minister of India Swaraj had invited Mahara to visit New Delhi on a convenient date soon after Mahara assumed his office earlier this month.
It is learnt that Mahara will convey the Indian leadership that the government will continue the foreign policy—particularly striking a balanced relationship with the immediate neighboring countries–which was pushed forward by the earlier government led by Prachanda.
Sources said that the deputy prime minister will seek India’s support for Nepal’s candidacy for the non-permanent membership of the UN Human Rights Council (for the term of 2018-2020) in an election slated for November this year.
Mahara will be meeting separately with some five dozen Delhi-based ambassadors accredited for Kathmandu to garner support for Nepal’s candidature. Minister Mahara will also prepare the ground for the visit of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to India possibly in July-end, according to foreign ministry officials. However, the exact dates of the prime minister’s trip to India have yet to be finalized.
India and Nepal will review the political, trade, investment and development cooperation agendas between the two South Asian neighbors during the visit.