Nepal PM Balendra Shah Keen to Strengthen Ties With India, Thanks PM Modi

Kathmandu: Nepal’s newly elected Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Saturday expressed his willingness to work closely with India and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his congratulatory message following his swearing-in.

Prime Minister Modi had extended greetings to Shah after the oath-taking ceremony on Friday and expressed hope of working together to further strengthen India-Nepal relations.

Responding to the message, the Nepal Prime Minister’s Office said in a post on X that Shah is keen to enhance bilateral cooperation for the shared prosperity of the people of both countries.

“Thank you, PM Narendra Modi, for your kind words and warm wishes. I am eager to work closely with you to advance the multifaceted relations between our two countries for the common prosperity of our people,” the post said.

Nepal holds strategic importance for India in the region, particularly in terms of economic cooperation and connectivity. Being a landlocked country, Nepal depends significantly on India for transit facilities and access to seaports, while a large share of its trade and essential supplies passes through Indian territory.

Balendra Shah is the first democratically elected Prime Minister to assume office after the coalition government led by former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli was removed in September last year following youth-led protests against corruption, nepotism and restrictions on social media