NEPAL'S CABINET RECALLS AMBASSADORS FROM 11 COUNTRIES INCLUDING US, INDIA

Kathmandu: The meeting of the Council of Ministers of Nepal decided to recall ambassadors from 11 countries, including India and US, marking a diplomatic shift under the leadership of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Government Spokesperson and Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma confirmed to ANI that Nepali ambassadors to India, US, UK, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Malaysia, Portugal, Denmark and Israel have been called back.

"We will send a new ambassador to those countries very soon," Sharma told ANI over the phone without elaborating on why they have been called back.

Furthermore, she added that the cabinet meeting held today also approved the visit of the Nepali Prime Minister to attend the swearing-in of Indian Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi.

"Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' will be travelling to India on Sunday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Indian Prime Minister (elect) Narendra Modi."

Yesterday, PM Modi had a telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of Nepal, Prachanda congratulated PM Modi on his historic victory for the third term in the recently concluded general elections in India.

He expressed his conviction that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, India-Nepal relations will continue to further strengthen. Prime Minister Modi thanked Prime Minister 'Prachanda' for his greetings.

Nepal shares deep-rooted cultural and civilizational links with India and remains a special partner in India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy. The telephone call continues the tradition of high-level exchanges between the two countries.

Further, Sharma told ANI in the conversation without answering if Prachanda would be holding any sidelines or other engagements during the visit.

Nepal has a record of calling back all ambassadors appointed by previous governments with a change in the coalition. The latest round of ambassador reshuffles comes after the change in coalition on March 4.

Those ambassadors who have been ordered to return were appointed to the post when the Nepali Congress and Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal were onboard the government.