Nepal PM Balendra Shah greets India on 80th Independence Day amid outreach

Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India on the 80th Independence Day. The message signals Kathmandu's push to deepen economic cooperation, connectivity and broader ties with New Delhi.Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Saturday extended greetings and best wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India on the country’s 80th Independence Day. His message came as Nepal seeks to strengthen ties with India, with a focus on greater economic cooperation and connectivity with its immediate neighbour.Shah said, “On the occasion of India’s 80th Independence Day, I extend my heartfelt greetings and best wishes to PM @narendramodi and the friendly people and Government of India.” He also said, “May the deep historical ties, close people-to-people relations and cooperation between Nepal and India continue to strengthen in the years ahead.”Shah’s message also came days after he held his first one-on-one meeting with Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava on August 10. Since taking office, he had largely avoided such engagements with foreign diplomats.Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal also extended greetings to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the people and the government of India on the occasion. In a post on X, Khanal said, “Nepal and India share deep historical and civilisational ties, close people-to-people relations and a multifaceted partnership. May these bonds continue to grow even stronger in the days ahead.” Jaishankar thanked his Nepalese counterpart for the warm wishes. India is Nepal’s largest trading partner and a key source of investment, and the two countries share an open border that allows extensive movement of people, along with deep social and familial ties. The exchange of greetings on India’s Independence Day came against the backdrop of Nepal’s efforts to further strengthen its relationship with India.With PTI Inputs - EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 15, 2026 12:42 IST