On Saturday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Sushila Karki on becoming the acting Prime Minister of Nepal, underlining India's consistent commitment to supporting peace, development, and prosperity in the neighboring nation.
In a statement shared on X, the Prime Minister said, “I extend my best wishes to Right Hon. Mrs. Sushila Karki on assuming office as the Prime Minister of the Interim Government of Nepal. India remains firmly committed to the peace, progress, and prosperity of the people of Nepal.”
India-Nepal relations are deepened by long-standing people-to-people bonds, coupled with cultural, religious, and linguistic affinities.
“Heartfelt congratulations to the Honorable Sushila Karki Ji on assuming the office of Prime Minister of Nepal’s interim government. India is fully committed to the peace, progress, and prosperity of Nepal’s brothers and sisters,” he said.
Following India's "Neighbourhood First" initiative, Modi has made five visits to Nepal since May 2014, while Nepali Prime Ministers have taken ten official visits to India since then.
Sushila Karki was sworn in as acting Prime Minister, the first woman to head Nepal, after the government of KP Sharma Oli fell under pressure from violent demonstrations this week. President Ramchandra Paudel swore in the Prime Minister at the presidential palace in a ceremony that was telecast live across the country.
Her appointment followed intense discussions involving the president, Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel, and leaders of the protest movement that sparked some of the most severe civil unrest Nepal has seen in recent years.
Karki’s main responsibility is to supervise new elections for the lower house of parliament, scheduled by March 11, 2026. She is expected to announce her cabinet in the upcoming days.
The demonstrations, launched by the so-called "Gen Z" movement, started after a social media ban was imposed and then lifted. The protests turned into mass violence, claiming 51 lives and more than 1,300 injuries, as per government reports. Karki, the only female Chief Justice in Nepal, was the protesters' favorite, who was generally perceived as a strong anti-corruption candidate.
