Nepal PM Oli Likely To Visit India In Mid-September; Schedule Awaited

Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli is expected to make an official visit to India around mid-September, according to a statement released by the Foreign Ministry on Sunday (20 July), reported The Hindu.

Preparations Underway, Dates Unconfirmed

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Chhetri stated, “Preparations for the upcoming visit of the Prime Minister are under way. However, the date and the detailed schedules of the visit are yet to be finalised.”

Sources from the Prime Minister’s Office revealed that Oli is likely to travel to India on 16 September for a two-day visit. This trip, they said, will be relatively short.

Oli Broke Tradition by Visiting China First

Oli, who took office for the fourth time in July 2024 as chairperson of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), had chosen China over India for his first foreign visit — a move seen as breaking diplomatic convention.

He visited China in December last year, meeting President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang and addressing an event at Peking University in Beijing.

Clarifies Relations with India

Amid local media speculation that India had not extended an invitation, Oli confirmed ongoing preparations. “I will be visiting India and… ground work is under way on both sides for the trip,” he said last Thursday, without providing specific dates.

Also Read: China's Delays, India's Gains: How Nepal's Frustrations With BRI Are Shifting The Sentiment