Nepal’s newly elected Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Saturday said he is “eager to work closely” with Narendra Modi, thanking the Indian leader for his message after the swearing-in.
Modi had greeted Shah soon after Friday’s ceremony, saying he was looking forward to working closely to take forward India-Nepal ties.
Replying to the message, Nepal’s Prime Minister’s Office posted on X, “Thank you, PM @narendramodi 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.”
Nepal remains central to India’s regional interests. The country depends on India for transit access, with most goods moving through Indian territory.
Being landlocked, Nepal relies on Indian routes for access to the sea and imports a large share of its requirements from and through India.
Shah took office after a period of political unrest. He is the first democratically elected prime minister since the coalition government led by K. P. Sharma Oli was ousted in September last year.
The government fell following protests led by Gen Z groups against corruption, nepotism and a social media ban that later turned violent.
