KATHMANDU: India is sending External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj leading the Indian delegation while  China is yet to nominate the leader of its team to take part in the donors’ conference in Kathmandu, a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday.

Nepal had invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to take part in the conference, scheduled for June 25, being organised to seek the international communities’ support in the reconstruction of country devastated by the April 25 earthquake and its subsequent aftershocks.

The two leaders, however, expressed their inability to attend the conference, citing conflict of schedules, and are sending senior ministers to represent their respective governments.

Nepal had extended invitation to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang through the Chinese mission in Kathmandu, while Minister for Finance Dr Ram Sharan Mahat had visited New Delhi to hand over the invitation to Modi.

According to MoHA, the Indian minister will arrive in Kathmandu on June 24 and return to New Delhi after the one-day conference concludes the following day.

It is believed that Beijing is sending Foreign Minister Wang Yi to attend the conference.

Nepal is still awaiting final confirmation from the Chinese side, according to the source.

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