May 24, Kathmandu - Even though Prime Minister Balendra Shah's visit to India is yet to be finalized, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chairman Rabi Lamichhane is set to visit India in the third week of Jestha.

He will visit India from June 1 to 2 at the formal invitation of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, RSP sources have informed.

According to RSP sources, chairman Lamichhane is also scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to India. However, no formal information has been issued in this regard.

During his visit to India, Chairman Lamichhane is also scheduled to meet Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and other officials, RSP sources have informed.

Chairman Lamichhane is also scheduled to meet BJP leader Nitin Naveen. Preparations are underway to welcome chairman Lamichhane at the Bharatiya Janata Party office.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's visit to Nepal was postponed after Prime Minister Balendra Shah refused to meet him. Misri was about to come to Nepal to formally invite Prime Minister Shah to visit India.

A few days after Misri's visit was postponed, Nepal had sent a diplomatic note to protest after India and China agreed to conduct a pilgrimage to Kailash from Lipulekh. The government had expressed its objection to both India and China, saying that no discussions were held with Nepal when the India-China route was opened via Nepal's route.

Although Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal was also expected to visit India, his visit was also canceled at the last minute.

After the RSP gained a nearly two-thirds majority in Nepal, Indian Prime Minister Modi had congratulated Party chairman Rabi Lamichhane and Prime Minister-designate Balendra Shah over the phone. However, after becoming Prime Minister, Shah had maintained diplomatic distance from India, like other countries.

India invited RSP chairman Lamichhane to visit India after it was unable to even extend an invitation for Prime Minister Shah's visit.