Foreign Minister Rana returns from India after unsuccessful diplomatic visit

Kathmandu, December 23 — Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba returned to Nepal on Monday evening, December 23, after a brief visit to India.

The visit followed her participation in the Indo-Nepal Economic Conference held in New Delhi on December 20, where she addressed the conference.

Dr. Rana’s visit to India, originally intended to help create a favorable environment for Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's upcoming trip to India, did not yield significant diplomatic outcomes.

Despite efforts to meet high-level Indian officials, including Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, no meetings took place. Dr. Rana's attempts to secure appointments were unsuccessful, as Indian officials cited their busy schedules.

Her India visit focused primarily on health checkups, including a follow-up for her hip replacement surgery at New Delhi’s Apollo Hospital.

Dr. Rana also discussed requesting additional air routes between India and Nepal, aiming to improve connectivity, particularly for the Pokhara and Gautam Buddha International airports. However, despite her diplomatic efforts, she returned without achieving any significant breakthroughs.