Kathmandu, May 8, 2026 — India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s planned two-day visit to Nepal, due to begin on Monday, was postponed at the last minute, multiple sources told ANI.
Officials at Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and at the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu confirmed the trip was called off unexpectedly. According to one Ministry official who spoke on condition of anonymity, preparations had been completed for Misri’s arrival but the Indian side communicated a postponement without offering an official reason.
The visit had been seen by New Delhi as an opportunity to engage with Nepal’s new leadership. Balendra Shah (Balen) was sworn in as Nepal’s prime minister on March 27 after his Rastriya Swatantra Party secured a decisive election win; Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Shah and they held a telephone conversation soon after his victory.
Indian sources said Misri was to extend a formal invitation to Prime Minister Shah for an official visit to India. An official at the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu told ANI that the Indian side did not receive a substantive response from the Nepal PMO regarding a high-level meeting, which contributed to the decision to postpone.
Nepal’s foreign ministry also said Misri had been invited by Nepali Foreign Minister Amrit Rai earlier, with planned discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and covering multiple areas of cooperation. But Indian officials say the trip lost its value once it became clear top-level engagements, including a meeting with the prime minister, would not be possible during the scheduled visit.
The cancellation comes amid heightened tensions between India and Nepal over the Lipulekh border claim. Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected any direct link between the border dispute and the postponement. “Nepal and India have very close relations. One issue cannot hamper other issues pertaining to the relation between the two countries,” ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri said at a media briefing.
No official timeline for rescheduling has been announced by either side. Both governments characterized bilateral relations as important and signaled a desire to continue diplomatic engagement, even as differences over border matters remain unresolved.
This report is based on information from ANI and on-the-record statements from officials in Kathmandu and the Indian diplomatic mission.
