PM Narendra Modi plans visits to Himalayan states of Nepal and Bhutan

NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi is planning to visit Delhi's closest neighbours Nepal and Bhutan during the coming months aiming to show his government's support to Kathmandu and Thimpu based on his neighbourhood first policy.

The visits are being planned in the first half of the year amid China's push to make inroads in the Himalyan States of Nepal and Bhutan. The dates of PM’s visit are not yet firmed up but being finalised, indicated persons familiar with the process.

Delhi might soon host K P Oli on his first visit abroad as Nepal PM following warming of ties between the two sides since the elections. Modi will visit Kathmandu this year for the BIMSTEC Summit. After the election results in Nepal, India reached out to Kathmandu immediately as Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj visited the Himalayan State and held wide ranging dialogue. Oli is understood to have responded positively to the Indian gesture.

The signals for major push by China in Bhutan came with the Doklam episode and ever since Beijing is attempting to enhance its footprints in Thimpu which does not enjoy diplomatic ties with any of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. Experts on Bhutan point out that the outcome of third general elections in Bhutan later this year will be extremely critical for its ties with both India and China. In a rare move NSA, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and Army Chief together visited Thimphu recently.

Modi had earlier visited Bhutan in 2014 on his first trip abroad after he became PM. In the same year he visited Nepal twice – first on a bilateral trip and then for the SAARC Summit.

Meanwhile Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid was on a five-day state visit to India that also saw him participating at the International Solar Alliance Summit and Gokhale plans to visit Dhaka in near future on his maiden visit there as the Foreign Secretary.

Experts on Bangladesh affairs point out that the Hasina government has been smart in handling China. While Chinese companies are executing several projects in Bangladesh, 23 bn USD allotted for Belt and Road Initiative is yet to take off. Bangladesh will also hold its next Parliamentary polls later this year.