Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal is leaving for Port Louis, Republic of Mauritius today to address the 9th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) 2026 at the invitation of Minister of External Affairs of India S. Jaishankar.

The three-day conference, scheduled to be held from April 10 to 12, is being organized by the India Foundation in association with the Government of Mauritius under the theme "Collective Stewardship for Indian Ocean Governance."

During the event, the Foreign Minister will deliver Nepal's national statement articulating Nepal's perspectives on Indian Ocean governance, the mountain-ocean ecological nexus, and the importance of maritime connectivity for economic development.

On the sidelines of the program, the Foreign Minister is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts. 

Minister Khanal is scheduled to return home on April 13. .