Kathmandu, July 11 -- The prime minister is in the dark. Or at least he says so.

Last week, when asked about a letter from the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu demanding that pesticide tests for imported farm produce be revoked, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had professed ignorance. Even as he called the very existence of the letter into question, copies of the letter were making the rounds on social media.

Oli was forced to eat his words, admitting that the letter existed but that he had been deceived.

"I was not informed about the letter from the embassy," Oli later said. "I was misled."

On Wednesday, during an appearance on Nepal Television, Oli, who is known for his brash manner and off-the-cuff remarks, apologised.

"I need to admit an...