New Delhi wanted to engage with Shah government. It will now start with RSP chairman

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chairman Rabi Lamichhane is embarking on a significant visit to New Delhi, where he is scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other high-ranking political figures. This tour, taking place from June 1 to 5, occurs at a time of uneasy relations between Nepal and India, exacerbated by a recent border dispute over Lipulekh.

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Rastriya Swantantra Party chair Rabi Lamichhane will be meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top political leaders in New Delhi as he tours India at a time when the two neighbours experience an uneasy relationship following a reignited boundary row.

Lamichhane's visit is at the invitation of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Initially, both Prime Minister Balendra Shah and Lamichhane were invited following the RSP's electoral success in March. However, with Shah's visit uncertain due to a self-imposed moratorium, Lamichhane will be the first to engage at this level. His delegation includes his wife, Nikita Poudel, and two party leaders, Bipin Acharya and Deepak Bohara. While the visit was not officially announced, sources indicate Lamichhane will meet with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and other key officials.

A meeting with Prime Minister Modi is proposed for June 2, offering a crucial opportunity for both sides to engage and foster mutual understanding in the evolving political landscape of Kathmandu. Following official engagements, Lamichhane is expected to visit an iconic Indian location, possibly Agra or Ayodhya. The visit's core objectives are to strengthen bilateral relations, gauge the new Nepali government's attitude towards India, and enhance party-to-party ties between the RSP and the BJP.

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Lamichhane, accompanied by his spouse and two party leaders, is paying an official visit to New Delhi from June 1 to 5 at the invitation of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

This visit, extended from an initial three days to five, follows the postponement of Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's trip to Kathmandu. India has also indirectly expressed concerns regarding Nepal's imposition of customs duties on goods exceeding Rs100 and the delay in Misri's visit. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stated that Misri's visit would proceed on a mutually agreed date.

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With Shah’s visit uncertain due to a self-imposed moratorium, Lamichhane will be the first to travel.

Lamichhane is also slated to address Nepalis residing in India at the Lajpat Bhawan Auditorium in New Delhi on June 4. Nepali diplomats are expected to attend all official meetings, ensuring a formal presence during these high-level discussions.

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Sources in New Delhi say a meeting between Lamichhane and Modi has been proposed for June 2, to give both sides an opportunity to engage and understand each other in the changed political context in Kathmandu.