KATHMANDU: Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj will arrive in Kathmandu today afternoon on a two-day visit.

According to a press release issued by Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during her stay in Kathmandu, Swaraj will separately call on President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and hold discussions with leaders of political parties on matters of mutual interest of the two countries.

Indian Ministry of External Affairs had issued a press release on Monday stating that Swaraj’s visit would provide an opportunity to hold discussions with political leaders of Nepal on issues of mutual interest, and to advance age-old, special ties of friendship between India and Nepal.

The MEA had also stated that Swaraj’s visit was in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level political exchanges between India and Nepal, and reflected the expanding bilateral partnership and the importance that the two countries attached to further strengthening it across diverse sectors.

According to the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, Swaraj will land at Tribhuvan International Airport at around 3:00 pm today, after which she will reach Soaltee Crowne Plaza.

CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli will host a dinner at Soaltee in honour of the visiting Indian minister. Swaraj will also meet Madhesi leaders after dinner.

On Friday, Swaraj is scheduled to have a breakfast meeting with CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, after which she will call on President Bidhya Devi Bhandari.

She will leave for New Delhi at 4:00pm on Friday after holding a meeting with PM Sher Bahadur Deuba over lunch.