SATV, Kathmandu, April. 12 - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended an official invitation to Prime Minister Balendra (Balen) Shah to visit India. Speaking to journalist Sidhant Sibal of an Indian news channel on the sidelines of the Indian Ocean Conference held in Mauritius, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal provided detailed information regarding the potential visit and Nepal's new foreign policy.

According to Foreign Minister Khanal, immediately after the elections in Nepal, Indian Prime Minister Modi telephoned Rastriya Swatantra Party Chairman Rabi Lamichhane and Prime Minister Shah to offer his congratulations. Khanal clarified that through this congratulatory message, Modi extended the invitation for a visit to India, which Prime Minister Shah has already accepted.

The date for the visit to India has not yet been finalized. During his first direct meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Mauritius, Foreign Minister Khanal discussed bilateral relations and the upcoming visit.

He informed the Indian side that as the new government has only been in office for two weeks, it is currently determining its internal priorities. Noting that nearly 40 different bilateral mechanisms are active between Nepal and India, Khanal stated that the government would proceed through these channels.

He revealed that an agreement was reached between himself and Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar that Nepal would first determine its internal priorities, and based on those, high-level visits would commence. He added that the appropriate timing for Prime Minister Shah's visit to India would ultimately be determined by these bilateral mechanisms.

Regarding the new government's foreign policy, Minister Khanal recalled that Prime Minister Shah recently addressed foreign diplomats in Nepal, clarifying that a change in government would not break the continuity of foreign policy. Emphasizing that the Constitution of Nepal dictates the fundamentals of foreign policy, he clarified that territorial integrity, protection of sovereignty, non-alignment, and an independent foreign policy remain the core values of the current government.

Nepal has adopted a policy of advancing relations with its neighbors and global partners primarily by linking them to national interest and economic growth. Foreign Minister Khanal sent a message from the international forum that all diplomatic efforts of the government will be focused on Nepal's rapid economic development and national interest.