PM Dahal made the remark on return from his five-day visit to Beijing during which he was a guest of the Chinese government at the closing ceremony of the Olympics. While in China, he met the Chinese president Hu Jintao and prime minister Wen Jiabao.

Indian media and analysts this week have been sharply critical of Dahal's break with tradition under which a new Nepali government head usually first goes to Delhi. The government had clarified saying this was not a political visit but one timed for the Olympics.

"My first political visit will be to India, since India played such an important role in our peace process ever since the 12-point agreement of November 2005," Dahal told reporters on return on Wednesday via Bangkok.

Indian newspapers this week wrote editorials that expressed surprise that Dahal had defied accepted practice. This even prompted Indian Prime minister Man Mohan Singh to consult advisers on Tuesday about the Nepal situation, according to the Indian media.

The Indian Express wrote in an editorial on Tuesday: 'New Delhi cannot counteract Beijing's attempt at a structural transformation of subcontinental geopolitics by sending protest notes to Kathmandu. India can no longer sustain its primacy in Nepal by merely proclaiming it. Instead the UPA government must respond vigorously to China's rise and develop an entirely new diplomatic toolkit.' (www.indianexpress.com/story/353207.html)

New Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav is in Delhi on Wednesday to attend a meeting of the sub-regional grouping, BIMSTEC. He is staying two extra days for bilateral meetings with Indian leaders. Yadav also has miffed the Indians by saying that Nepal had "equidistant" relations with India and China.

In Nepal itself, leading tv channels and newspapers highlighted reports of Indian displeasure.

Dahal's return is expected to expedite the formation of the government. The UML has been sulking because the Maoists refused to make their Bam Dev Gautam, the home minister-designate, the caretaker prime minister in the absence of Dahal.

Said Dahal: "I will be attending to this urgently and the government will be complete very soon."