Nepal PM Dahal likely to visit India on September 15

Nepal's Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, is likely to undertake an official three-day visit to India starting September 15.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bimalendra Nidhi, who is currently in New Delhi, and Indian officials confirmed the date for Dahal's maiden foreign trip on Monday.

According to the Kathmandu Post, Nidhi held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday and discussed Prime Minister Dahal's visit to India among others issues. On Friday, Nidhi held talks with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

One of the main agendas of Nidhi's visit to India has been laying the groundwork for Prime Minister Dahal's visit to India.

Dahal will return from India on September 17 after holding a meeting with his Indian counterpart Modi and some high-level political engagements in New Delhi.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has said that Prime Minister Dahal has conveyed his desire to speed up development works in Nepal with Indian assistance rather than focusing on political and diplomatic matters and sought help from the Indian side for the same.

It is expected that a major project will be signed between Nepal and India during Dahal's visit.

Apart from that, Dahal has sent a long list of agreements he wants to sign during his visit. Nidhi held discussions with Indian officials regarding the same.

Officials said both sides are preparing to conclude the detailed project report of the much-awaited Pancheshwor Multi-purpose Project, finalise additional Indian assistance for earthquake victims and expedite works of Postal Road and Nepal Police Academy under Indian assistance.

A polytechnic in Chitwan under Indian assistance is also one of projects that PM Dahal will discuss during the visit.

According to a source, Dahal, in his letter sent to Modi, has suggested that works on the long-delayed Pancheshwor Project on Nepal-India border be moved forward at the earliest.

Indian Prime Minister Modi, during his Nepal visit in 2014, had pledged to accord high priority to Pancheshwor Project.