The new foreign minister of Nepal plans to assure New Delhi this week that the Maoist premier's first foreign trip to neighbouring China was not a snub, an official said yesterday.
Prime Minister Prachanda, sworn in last week as head of Nepal's first post-royal government, travelled to Beijing on Saturday to attend the Olympics closing ceremonies and meet China's leaders.
His visit marked a departure from previous tradition in Nepal, in which past new premiers made their first foreign visit to neighbouring India.
The Nepali foreign minister is due to arrive in New Delhi on Thursday for a regional economic meeting.
"Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav is set to talk to India about diplomatic relations and will clear things up about the premier's China visit that might have agitated India," Kamal Gyawali, assistant to the minister, told AFP.
New Delhi has not made an official comment on the Beijing trip.
India is often seen as being "big brother" to impoverished, landlocked Nepal. The two sides have close economic links and many cultural and religious ties.
Yadav said Sunday no snub was intended by Prachanda's Beijing trip.
"The prime minister's visit to China is to represent Nepal at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics and is not intended to keep India at a distance. It shouldn't be viewed otherwise," he said at a press conference.
Still, analysts said the trip may unsettle New Delhi.
India has "always felt the Maoists are close to China and hold strong anti-Indian feelings," said Prashant Jha, a political analyst, adding the trip may "reinforce these views."
Prachanda became Nepal's top politician after leading a bloody civil war for a decade that ended in 2006.
The Maoists have emerged as Nepal's most potent political force after scoring a strong win in April elections for an assembly that abolished the monarchy and now is set to write a new constitution.