Kathmandu, Nov. 6 -- Nepal and India have stepped up preparations for Prime Minister Balendra Shah's first official bilateral visit to New Delhi, setting the stage for a high-level engagement.

The visit could shape the trajectory of bilateral relations at a time when Kathmandu is seeking to balance its development priorities with longstanding geopolitical sensitivities, observers say.

Scheduled to begin on November 22, the proposed four-day visit comes at a particularly important moment for Nepal. The country is seeking substantial Indian financial assistance for post-flood reconstruction, while pushing New Delhi to address longstanding concerns over air connectivity, water resources, trade and transit. Several major bilateral projects ...