Energy, connectivity to figure during Nepal PM's visit

Energy, connectivity and people-to-people contact will figures among the issues that will come up for discussion during Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli's six-day visit to India from February 19.

"During the visit, we expect discussions on all issues of mutual interest," external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said during a media briefing here on Thursday.

"Bilateral cooperation, particularly in the key areas of energy, connectivity, and people-to-people linkages will form the main focus of the visit, he said.

The visit of Oli, who will be accompanied by his wife Radhika Sakya, is the first bilateral visit by a prime minister from the Himalayan nation since 2011.

"This is the first bilateral visit by a Nepal prime minister since that of then prime minister Baburam Bhattarai in 2011," external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said at a media briefing here on Thursday.

In 2014, then prime minister Sushil Koirala visited India for the swearing-in ceremony of the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

In August 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi went on a bilateral visit to Nepal which was the first by an Indian prime minister in 17 years.

Modi again went in November 2014 to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit in Kathmandu.

The high-level delegation that will accompany Oli will include Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Kamal Thapa, Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel, Home Minister Shakti Bahadur Basnet, Chief Advisor to the prime minister Bishnu Prasad Rimal, chief executive of the National Reconstruction Authority, 13 MPs from various political parties, the chief secretary of Nepal and other high officials as well as business representatives.

On Saturday, the day after his arrival, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will call on Oli after which the visiting dignitary will meet Prime Minister Modi.

This will be followed by delegation-level talks and signing of agreements.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will then call on the Nepalese prime minister.

Oli will also call on Vice President Hamid Ansari and President Pranab Mukherjee later in the day.

On Sunday, he will leave for Dehradun where he will visit the Tehri hydel power project.

After returning to New Delhi the same day, the Nepalese prime minister will meet leaders of various political parties.

On Monday, Minister of State for Power Piyush Goel will call on Oli after which the visiting dignitary will address the Indian Council for World Affairs.

In the evening, Oli will attend a business meeting.

On Tuesday, he will leave for Bhuj in Gujarat to take stock of the earthquake reconstruction work there.

Later in the day, he will leave for Mumbai where he will meet Maharashtra Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao.

Oli will depart from India on Wednesday.