India, June 8 -- Back-to-back visits to India by the chief of Nepal's ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party, Rabi Lamichhane, and foreign minister Shisir Khanal have prepared the ground for a comprehensive reset of relations following the change of government in Kathmandu after last year's Gen Z protests. The Nepalese leaders have been forthright about their demand for a transformation of the relationship through a greater focus on development and "result-driven diplomacy". The Indian side rolled out the red carpet for Lamichhane, who was granted meetings with Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, national security adviser Ajit Doval and external affairs minister S Jaishankar. It was left to Khanal to discuss with Jaishankar the specifics of the new relationship that Nepal desires to have with India. These meetings acquire greater significance in light of the reported plans of Nepal PM Balendra Shah to not make any foreign visits for up to a year, given his focus on the domestic situation. These contacts, to be followed up by more ministerial visits from both sides, will ensure there is no vacuum in India's ties with one of its most strategic partners in the neighbourhood. At the same time, the new Nepalese leadership has signalled that it wants to engage with India without any baggage of the past and on a more equal footing, with the focus squarely on speeding up the development of the country. This is in keeping with the massive mandate given to the Rastriya Swatantra Party by the people of Nepal, who appear to have run out of patience with the established political parties and the allegations of nepotism and corruption that had plagued recent governments. New Delhi will do well to take forward the engagement with Kathmandu with a clean slate and an open mind....