Miscellaneous
Indian foreign secy to arrive on April 2
New Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar is arriving here in two weeks on a three-day official visit as part of his Saarc Yatra.Anil Giri
As directed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had invited heads of member states to his swearing-in in May last year, Jaishankar has already toured Bhutan (March 1), Bangladesh (March 2), Pakistan (March 3) and Afghanistan (March 4).
Jaishankar spent hardly 24 hours in each of these nations, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs. But he is spending three days in Kathmandu, to “familiarise” with top politicians and officials here, in a mark of India’s “attachment with and priority for Nepal”. Top officials said Jaishankar will focus in Kathmandu on building connections. He will be meeting top political leaders and bureaucrats.
However, the main purpose of his visit is said to be to follow up on the progress made after the two visits of Indian PM Modi to Nepal in August and November last year.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tara Pokhrel said the Indian foreign secretary will arrive in the first week of April.
He is expected to meet President Ram Baran Yadav, Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey. He will also talk to top leaders of the ruling and opposition parties.
He will meet his counterpart Shanker Das Bairagi and will hold delegation-level talks to follow up on the visits last year by Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
No new agreement or understanding would be signed as Jaishankar would only acquaint himself with political and bilateral issues.