Foreign Affairs Minister Kamal Thapa with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday.

Foreign Affairs Minister Kamal Thapa called on India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday.

Thapa, also one of Nepal's Deputy Prime Ministers, was on a three-day visit to New Delhi to raise issues relating to an unofficial Indian blockade against Nepal. Before wrapping up his visit, he met Modi in presence of Nepal's ambassador Deep Kumar Upadhyaya and India's ambassador Ranjit Rae.

It is not clear if Modi assured Thapa to ease supply of fuel and other essential commodities into Nepal. But members of Thapa's delegation are not hopeful about 'India easing supply soon'.

Earlier, Thapa had met his counterpart Sushma Swaraj and India's Home Minister Rajnath Singh. He had requested them to ease supply, citing problems facing Nepalis ahead of Dasain and Tihar festival. But he carefully abstained from using the words like 'blockade' or 'embargo'.

India has denied imposing a blockade against Nepal, and Nepali ministers appear cautious to not offend New Delhi by stating that it is indeed an embargo. India has claimed that disruption in supply is due to political unrest in Nepal's southern plains, and Nepal's political leadership has so far failed to strongly counter New Delhi's statement.

Thapa has met Modi at a time when Nepalis are facing an acute shortage of fuel. Nepalis are impatiently waiting for the blockade to be lifted so that their life returns to normalcy.

After UML Chair KP Oli was elected as Nepal's new Prime Minister, Modi had congratulated him over phone raising hopes that the blockade will now be lifted. Restrictions on supply were indeed eased but the Birganj border point through which nearly 70 per cent of fuel is imported remains blocked.

Madhesi protesters have continued with their sit-in at the Birganj border point, and Indian authorities in Raxaul have not let any truck enter into Nepal.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Oli has promised to resolve the current fuel crisis 'soon'. Talking to delegates of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), he said: "Be assure, it (the crisis) will not last long."