Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who left for India on a five-day state visit at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, was received by Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. This is Deuba’s first foreign tour after taking office in June.

PM Deuba took off from Kathmandu in a Nepal Airlines flight at around 10am, leading a 59-member delegation comprising four ministers, 12 lawmakers from various political parties and nine secretaries. A separate business delegation is accompanying him.

Deuba’s wife Dr Arzu Rana Deuba, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Finance Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, Tourism Minister Jitendra Dev and Commerce Minister Meen Bishwakarma are also in the delegation. The delegation also includes National Planning Commission vice-chairman Swarnim Wagle and National Reconstruction Authority CEO Govinda Raj Pokharel, secretaries of various ministries and 21 lawmakers.

Deuba is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Indian President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaian Naidu separately besides holding a formal meeting with PM Modi.

Apart from executing and implementing past accords and understandings, seven memorandums of understanding will be signed after delegation-level talks between Deuba and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. 

Later, the two PMs will switch on the 132 KV Kattiya-Kusha transmission line via which Nepal can import up to 50 megawatts of electricity in the dry season.

Deuba is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Indian President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaian Naidu separately besides holding a formal meeting with PM Modi.

In Bihar, PM Deuba will visit Bodh Gaya and discuss flood management issues on both sides with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. He is scheduled to return home on Sunday.