Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' will travel to Delhi this weekend to attend the swearing-in ceremony of India's re-elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Minister of Communication and Information Technology Rekha Sharma informed that the decision was made during a cabinet meeting on Thursday.
Modi extended the invitation to Prachanda during a phone call on Wednesday evening after his Bharatiya Janata Party's alliance secured a majority in the Lok Sabha elections. The National Democratic Alliance won 293 seats, with Modi's BJP taking 240 seats.
In their conversation, the two leaders discussed strengthening Nepal-India relations. Prachanda congratulated Modi on the electoral victory and said he is "ready to partner and cooperate" with Modi's new government to bolster bilateral ties. Modi thanked Prachanda for his wishes, stating "We agreed to maintain the positive momentum in our relationship."
Modi resigned as prime minister on Wednesday, a procedural step before taking oath again. He is set to begin his third consecutive term on Sunday after coalition partners like Janata Dal (United) and Telugu Desam Party endorsed him as the alliance's leader.
The prime ministerial swearing-in ceremony represents an important diplomatic occasion. Prachanda's attendance underscores Nepal's commitment to nurturing close relations with its influential neighbor under the new governments in both nations.