PM Oli Set to Visit India After UN Conference in Spain

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is preparing to visit India following his scheduled participation in the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, organized by the United Nations in Seville, Spain. The diplomatic groundwork for the India visit is currently underway, as per senior officials from Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

PM Oli is expected to travel to Spain from July 1 to July 4, 2025 (corresponding to Ashar 15–19, 2082 BS), and return on July 5. Upon his return, the plan is to embark on his long-anticipated official visit to India during the third week of July.

Delayed Yet Strategic Visit

Despite being appointed Prime Minister in July 2024 (Ashar 31, 2081 BS), Oli has not yet made an official visit to India, although discussions had been ongoing since his appointment. Diplomatic sources confirmed that both nations have resumed formal discussions to finalize the itinerary for the visit post his return from Spain.

“The visit to India is being discussed at the diplomatic level with a tentative schedule after Ashar’s third week,” said a senior foreign ministry official. Previous attempts to arrange the visit had also reached the diplomatic table, but failed to materialize due to lack of mutual agreement.

Past Missed Opportunities

Oli’s India visit was also considered before his participation in the sixth BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, Thailand. During his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bangkok’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel on April 4, 2025 (Chaitra 22, 2081 BS), both leaders had agreed to fix a date based on India’s internal calendar. However, the visit did not proceed.

After his return from China in December 2024 (Mangsir 29, 2081 BS), where he led a high-level delegation, Oli had expressed interest in visiting India. However, the lack of initiative from the Indian side led to a further delay.

Current Diplomatic Momentum

This time, sources say that the Indian side initiated the conversation, prompting the Nepalese side to start preparations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, is drafting the agenda, potential areas of cooperation, and possible agreements.

The Home, Finance, and Industry Ministries are also involved in the internal consultations ahead of the visit.

PM Oli’s relations with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reportedly cooled over the past year. Despite Oli’s repeated willingness, a formal invitation from India had not been extended. However, diplomatic circles have noted an improvement in relations, especially after Nepal’s support for India in its stance against terrorism following the Pahalgam incident.

Spain Visit Schedule Confirmed

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not yet officially announced PM Oli’s Spain visit, but sources confirm his departure is set for July 1, provided there are no last-minute changes. The conference, to be held in Seville from July 1 to 4, focuses on mobilizing international financing for the development of least developed and developing nations.

Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba will accompany PM Oli to Spain. Other members of the delegation are yet to be finalized.

As the current chair of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) group, Nepal will represent both its own and broader LDC interests at the conference. Previous editions of the Financing for Development conference were held in 2002, 2008, and 2015.