Paris, March 27 (NationPress) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar offered his heartfelt congratulations to Shisir Khanal as he assumes the position of Nepal's Foreign Affairs Minister. Jaishankar expressed his eagerness to collaborate with Khanal to enhance the longstanding partnership between their two nations.

"I extend my warmest congratulations to Shisir Khanal on his new role as Nepal's Minister for Foreign Affairs. I look forward to working closely with him to further solidify our traditional ties," Jaishankar remarked on X.

Khanal's appointment to the Foreign Affairs portfolio follows the swearing-in of Balendra Shah, the parliamentary leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), as Nepal's new Prime Minister earlier that day.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Shah on his inauguration and expressed his commitment to work together to elevate the friendship between India and Nepal for the benefit of both nations' citizens.

On Thursday, the RSP, which achieved a significant victory in the recent parliamentary elections with nearly a two-thirds majority, designated Shah as its parliamentary party leader, setting the stage for his role as the 47th Prime Minister of the country.

The 35-year-old former Mayor of Kathmandu ranks among the youngest Prime Ministers in Nepal's history. The recent elections saw a considerable number of lawmakers from younger demographics, signifying a generational transition in Nepalese politics.

Shah is a well-regarded figure among the youth and made his political debut on December 28 of last year, which is believed to have positively influenced the RSP's voting outcomes. The nearly four-year-old party campaigned with Shah as its Prime Ministerial candidate, resulting in a resounding victory in the parliamentary elections held on March 5, securing 182 out of 275 seats in the House of Representatives.

Shah notably defeated former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli by a remarkable margin of 49,614 votes, garnering 68,348 votes compared to Oli's 18,734 in Jhapa-5, eastern Nepal. This victory represents the highest vote count for any candidate in Nepal's parliamentary elections since 1991.

Shah's political journey began in 2022, when he ran for Mayor of Kathmandu and won as an independent.

The relationship between India and Nepal is characterized by strong people-to-people connections and shared cultural, linguistic, and religious ties. India stands as Nepal's largest development partner, with the majority of its assistance directed towards significant infrastructure projects, as noted by the Indian Embassy in Nepal. India's support for Nepal's development has been ongoing since the 1950s.