Kathmandu, May 3

India’s Ministry of External Affairs today said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be paying a visit to Nepal on May 11 and 12.

MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in his weekly media briefing that the Indian government was also ‘exploring possibilities’ of Modi visiting Janakpur and Muktinath apart from Kathmandu.

Kumar did not divulge further details of the visit, but said: “We are at this time working on various other elements of the programme. In fact, our advance team is still in Kathmandu, Nepal, as we speak.”

Kumar said a formal announcement would be made soon which would have more details of the programme.

On Tuesday, Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa had said Modi would start his two-day Nepal visit from Janakpur. Modi, who will depart from Patna on an Indian Air force helicopter, will land at Janakpur’s Baarhabigha, said Thapa.

According to sources at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, a senior cabinet minister and provincial chief minister will reach Baarhabigha to receive Modi. The Indian PM will then visit the Janaki temple, where he will offer puja. He will also attend a civic reception at Rangabhoomi Maidan in Baarhabigha.

Thapa had said Modi’s upcoming trip was a ‘religious visit’ and that no new agreements would be signed.

According to sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Modi will also visit Muktinath temple and the Indian Embassy’s pension camp in Pokhara. He will also call on President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Vice-president Nanda Bahadur Pun.

MoFA sources also said decisions would be taken for the effective implementation of agreements signed during Oli’s India visit. Oli had signed three agreements during his India trip —development of inland waterways, cross-border railway and farm modernisation.

During his state visit to India from April 6 to 8, Oli had extended an invitation to Modi to visit Nepal.

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