New Delhi/Kathmandu: Nepal's new Prime Minister Balendra Shah is expected to visit India soon. While the dates of his visit have not yet been formally announced, it is being seen as a significant step towards reinvigorating India-Nepal relations.

It is reported that after becoming Prime Minister, Narendra Modi extended a formal invitation to Shah to visit India, which Shah has accepted. Nepal's Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal confirmed this. Traditionally, the first foreign visit of a new Prime Minister of Nepal is often to India.

Experts believe Shah's stance is more balanced and neutral than that of his predecessor, KP Sharma Oli. During Oli's government, India-Nepal relations were strained, particularly over border disputes and political statements.

According to sources, officials of both the countries are busy making preparations at technical and diplomatic levels for Shah's proposed visit, so that this visit does not remain merely formal but proves to yield concrete results.

It is worth noting that during Oli's tenure, bilateral relations soured due to Nepal's release of a new political map and some controversial statements. Therefore, after the change of power, Shah now has a significant opportunity to improve relations.

Experts believe that through this visit, new initiatives can be taken on issues like trade, connectivity and strategic cooperation, which will give a new direction to the relations between the two countries.