Kathmandu: India’s new Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is on his visit to Nepal.

He is on a two-day visit to Nepal at the invitation of the Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal. He had earlier visited Bhutan. The Indian Embassy has said that after the appointment of the Indian Foreign Secretary, it is customary to go to SAARC countries as an introductory visit.

He will stay in Nepal until Monday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed that he has a political meeting scheduled during the visit.

“The forthcoming visit of the Foreign Secretary continues the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and reflects the priority India attaches to its relations with Nepal under the Neighbourhood First Policy,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
During his stay in Kathmandu, Misri will hold courtesy calls and political discussions with President Ram Chandra Poudel, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Leader of the Opposition Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, and some Madhesi leaders. Mr. Misri was appointed Foreign Secretary on July 15 after the expiry of the tenure of Vinay Mohan Kwatra. He is a senior Indian diplomat who has worked for a long time in South Block as a China expert.

According to the Indian press Misri, who has served as private secretary to prime ministers Inder Kumar Gujral, Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi, is one of the leading hands on China in the ministry of external affairs. His last ambassadorial posting was in Beijing. Misri was appointed to his position in the National Security Council Secretariat in January 2022. 

Misri served as India’s ambassador to Spain and Myanmar. He also had stints in the Indian missions in Belgium, Pakistan, the US, Sri Lanka and Germany.