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Nepal Prime Minister Balendra “Balen” Shah could make India his first foreign destination since taking office in March, with the visit potentially taking place before the end of the year, Nepal Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle said on Thursday.

Speaking at an NDTV summit in Kathmandu, Wagle said discussions on Shah’s overseas travel had begun. While the dates have yet to be finalised, he expressed confidence that India would be the prime minister’s first foreign stop.

“We’ve begun to discuss the Prime Minister’s visits abroad. I am pretty confident that his first visit abroad will be to India,” Wagle said, adding that the dates would need to be worked out but he remained hopeful that the visit would happen before the end of the year.

Nepal Battles Flood Aftermath

Wagle’s remarks come as Nepal continues to grapple with the aftermath of devastating flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border. The disaster has killed at least 389 people, while thousands remain missing as rescue teams search for survivors.

Torrents of water, mud and debris swept through villages, roads and bridges, leaving widespread destruction in their wake. Rescue operations are continuing as authorities deal with the scale of the devastation.

India was the first country to send emergency assistance to flood-hit Nepal. An initial 10 tonnes of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief supplies were delivered by a C-130J aircraft, followed by another airlift carrying 37.5 tonnes. The total assistance provided by India has since reached 47.5 tonnes.

Balen Shah Thanks PM Modi

Shah has expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India’s assistance following the disaster. In a post on X on Wednesday, Nepal’s Prime Minister’s Office said Kathmandu “deeply appreciates” Modi’s “warm words of solidarity” and “generous offer of assistance”.

“This gesture of solidarity is a reflection of the enduring bonds of friendship between our two countries, which we profoundly value,” Shah said.

Modi had earlier said he spoke with Shah and conveyed his condolences over the loss of lives. He also said India was ready to provide “all possible humanitarian assistance” and that Indian and Nepali teams were coordinating rescue and relief efforts.