Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey is scheduled to embark on a five-day visit to northern India from Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey

Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey (File Photo)
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Shankar Das Bairagi, told Nepalnews that the Foreign Minister would fly to Banaras, a north Indian town, on Tuesday to attend an international seminar “Problems and Prospect of Democracy in Nepal” organised by Banaras Hindu University. The Foreign Minister has been invited to the seminar as a chief guest, he said.

Pandey’s visit is, however, said to have least diplomatic significance as he has no other agenda than to attend the seminar. “He has no program to meet any senior Indian official,” the spokesperson added.

Pandey’s visit has been set at a time when India has been constantly pressuring the royal government to restore democratic process and reach out to the mainstream political parties. Indian military assistance to Nepal remains suspended since the royal move of February 1, 2005.

Indian Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed last week told Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, that Nepal government had urged India for resumption of military aid and added that the Himalayan Kingdom had received military supplies from third countries including China and Pakistan.

The Nepal government, however, is yet to officially comment on the Indian minister’s statement.