Nepal hopes to resolve the nascent boundary dispute and early implementation of India-funded projects with visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla during his two-day visit to Nepal November 26-27, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali told The Kathmandu Post. 

After hitting a low in bilateral ties last year, the two nations are now looking for serious engagement at a higher level to mend ties. Earlier the chief of India's external intelligence agency (R&AW) and the Indian Army chief visited the Himalayan nation. 

The visit by Foreign Secretary Shringla holds importance as it will be the first high-level diplomatic engagement between the two nations since last year’s boundary row over Kalapani and Lipulekh areas. 

Gyawali echoed similar sentiments while speaking to the Kathmandu Post, “Basically, the Indian foreign secretary’s visit has two dimensions. It will pave the way for more high-level visits and exchanges and set the basis for those upcoming high-level engagements.” 

The Eminent Persons' Group report, among other issues, will most likely to be raised by Nepal in this bilateral engagement. The report, prepared by eight eminent persons from both sides, recommended a relook at the 1950 India-Nepal treaty. The report also asked for a revision of the open-border policy between the two nations. 

However, sources from the Indian side told the Post that India would like to emphasize more on response to the pandemic and early delivery of vaccines. The trip by the foreign secretary is a “familiarisation trip,” so the accent may not be so much on the boundary dispute, which can be taken up later.