India Committed to Peace & Prosperity, PM Modi Congratulates Sushila Karki on Appointment as Nepal’s Interim PM

New Delhi/Kathmandu, Sep 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Sushila Karki on assuming office as the Prime Minister of Nepal’s interim government, affirming that India remains committed to supporting the peace, stability, and prosperity of the Himalayan nation.

Karki, 73, who earlier served as Nepal’s first woman Chief Justice, was sworn in late Friday evening, becoming the country’s first-ever woman Prime Minister. The oath of office was administered by President Ram Chandra Poudel following extensive consultations with Gen-Z protest leaders, constitutional experts, and the Army chief.

In a message on X, PM Modi 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’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also welcomed the development, expressing hope that the new interim government under Karki’s leadership would contribute to Nepal’s peace and stability. The MEA underlined that as a close neighbour, a fellow democracy, and a long-term development partner, India would continue to work with Kathmandu during this transition.

Karki’s appointment comes after the fall of the K.P. Sharma Oli-led government amid violent Gen-Z protests earlier this week. Though her selection as interim Prime Minister marks a historic moment, it has stirred constitutional debates, as Nepal’s Constitution bars non-members of the House of Representatives and former Chief Justices from holding the post.

Despite these legal hurdles, Karki was appointed under the “principle of necessity” following consensus among protestors and stakeholders, signaling an extraordinary step in Nepal’s turbulent political landscape.