Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s proposed visit to Kathmandu has been postponed after Nepal’s new Prime Minister Balen Shah reportedly refused to meet him.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s proposed visit to Kathmandu has been postponed, according to reports. The visit was expected to be one of the first major diplomatic engagements between New Delhi and Nepal’s new government led by Prime Minister Balen Shah.
The Kathmandu Post reported that one of the possible reasons behind the postponement was Prime Minister Shah’s refusal to meet the Indian Foreign Secretary. Officials were cited as saying that Shah has been avoiding meetings with foreign officials below the rank of foreign minister.
The development comes at a sensitive time for India–Nepal relations. The recent dispute over Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani has once again brought border-related tensions into focus. Nepal’s opposition has also urged the Shah government to pursue higher-level discussions with India and China on the issue.
For India, Misri’s visit was expected to help understand the priorities of Nepal’s new leadership and set the tone for bilateral ties. For Nepal, the reported refusal signals a more cautious and status-conscious diplomatic approach under the new administration.
The postponement does not mean a breakdown in relations, but it does suggest that the first phase of engagement between the two governments may be more complicated than expected. The next step will depend on whether both sides agree on a higher-level diplomatic format for future talks.