Top Indian Diplomat To Visit Nepal This Week In Another Sign Of Normalization In Relations

Top Indian Diplomat to Visit Nepal This Week in Another Sign of Normalization in Relations

Top Indian diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla will begin a two-day visit to Nepal on Thursday, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said, amid the neighbors' attempts to normalize ties strained by border disputes

NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd November, 2020) Top Indian diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla will begin a two-day visit to Nepal on Thursday, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said, amid the neighbors' attempts to normalize ties strained by border disputes.

It will mark the first trip by Shringla to the landlocked Himalayan kingdom since he took office of the foreign secretary in late January.

"The visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and the priority India attaches to its relations with Nepal. During the visit, Foreign Secretary will meet his counterpart and other Nepalese dignitaries to discuss the wide ranging bilateral cooperation between the two countries," the ministry said on Monday.

The statement noted the "historical and civilization linkages" between India and Nepal and progress reached in bilateral relationship in recent years, including as a result of "several major infrastructure and cross-border connectivity projects completed with India's assistance."

"The visit will be an opportunity to further advance our bilateral ties," the press release added.

The trip is seen as a part of efforts to ease tensions between the two East Asian neighbors and follows Indian Chief of the Army Staff Gen. Manoj Mukund Naravane's visit to Nepal in early November.

Indian-Nepalese relations soured in 2019, when India published its new map that included some areas Nepal historically claims as its territory. Besides, in May of this year, India constructed a road through the territory that Nepal claims to possess, prompting Kathmandu to amend its political map to incorporate disputed border areas.