Oli's visit first Nepal PM bilateral since 2011

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Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli's six-day visit to India from February 19 will be 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.

Oli will be accompanied by a high-level delegation that will include the finance and home ministers, deputy foreign affairs minister, chief advisor to the prime minister, chief executive of the National Reconstruction Authority and 13 MPs from various political parties.

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.