Indian President Pranab Mukherjee is coming to Nepal for a three-day fence-mending visit on Wednesday, the first from the giant neighbour in two decades.
The Nepal government has declared a public holiday to welcome Mukherjee, who will be visiting Janakpur and Pokhara after meeting Nepal's President Bidya Bhandari, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and other top political leaders in Kathmandu.
This is the first time an Indian President is visiting Nepal in the last 18 years, the last was by President KR Narayanan's in 1998. Indian Presidents APJ Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil visited many countries, but never visited Nepal during two decades during which the Himalayan republic suffered brutal internal strife and a prolonged political transition.
Mukherjee's visit has been viewed as the two countries seeking a new beginning to restore bilateral ties, which soured after India expressed its unhappiness with a new constitution promulgated last year by imposing a crippling five-month border blockade to pressure Kathmandu to amend the charter. The blockade stopped the import of petroleum, essential commodities and even medicines, devastating the economy and delaying an already slow post-earthquake delivery of relief supplies.
In May, then Prime Minister KP Oli abruptly cancelled President Bhandari's India visit, ostensibly concluding that New Delhi had a role in a coup against his government. Oli succeeded in foiling the attempted regime change, but was ousted two months later when the Maoists pulled out and formed a new coalition with the NC.
After Dahal became Prime Minister in August, President Bhandari invited Mukherjee in what was seen by many as a move to maintain balance between New Delhi and Beijing. Oli had invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to Kathmandu, but after Dahal became Prime Minister, Xi's visit became uncertain and Kathmandu geared up for Mukherjee's visit.
In an interview with the National News Agency, Foreign Affairs Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat expressed his hope that Mukherjee's visit would help remove bitterness in the Kathmandu-New Delhi ties, and usher in a new era of friendship between the two countries. "This is a goodwill visit, and it will create the foundation of mutual respect between the two countries," he said.
On Tuesday, Kathmandu's streets were relatively less busy because of Bhai Tika – the last day of the five-day Tihar festival. But traffic police had blocked major roads in core Kathmandu in a rehearsal to manage Kathmandu's traffic during Mukherjee's stay.
DSP Vanendra Pakhrin of Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, Kathmandu has urged commuters to avoid using the city's main roads which will be partially blocked to ensure Mukherjee's smooth carcade in Kathmandu. Flights to and from Kathmandu are expected to be affected on Wednesday morning and Friday because the airport will be closed to all air traffic as Mukherjee flies in from Delhi, gets to Janakpur and Pokhara and flies back on Friday.
The Nepal government's decision this week to make Wednesday a national holiday to honour Mukherjee's arrival has met with widespread criticism and ridicule. Many commentators have pointed out that instead of asking India to apologise for last year's blockade, it is kowtowing to New Delhi
Wary of negative comments about Mukherjee's visit, Foreign Minister Mahat said: "We are known all over the world for our hospitality, and we must demonstrate it. It is a matter of pride to welcome such a high-profile dignitary, and we must not make insensitive and negative comments about his visit on social media."