Indian politician and Cabinet Minister of External Affairs Salman Khurshid arrived in Kathmandu on July 9, 2013 for a day-long visit to Nepal. The minister is visiting the country in order to further strengthen Indian ties with its northern neighbor.
After landing at Tribhuvan International Airport, Khurshid said, “Our relations with Nepal are very important and the relations will continue to be, a matter of the highest priority for India”. The minister went on to say that India is strongly committed to working with the people of Nepal for a democratic, stable, peaceful and prosperous environment.
Khurshid was invited by his Nepalese counterpart Madhav Prasad Ghimire and is leading a nine-member delegation. The minister originally had a two-day schedule, which has been cut short and he will be returning to New Delhi on Tuesday, July 9, 2013 evening. Khurshid will be exchanging views on the further development of bilateral relations and other issues of mutual interest with Ghimre and other Nepalese leaders.
The minister also has best wishes for the people of Nepal for the upcoming elections, which is the next major step towards consolidating democracy. The last external affairs minister to visit Nepal was SM Krishna. Krishna paid a visit to the Himalayan nation in April 2011. The country suffered a political crisis after the constituent assembly dissolved without promulgating the constitution in 2012.
