Focusing on building trust: on India and Nepal bilateral ties

Focusing on building trust: on India and Nepal bilateral ties

India- Nepal; Neighbouhood Policy

News:

1. Dinesh Bhattarai, an adviser to former Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, says that India and Nepal need to muster the courage to address the difficult aspects of bilateral ties.

Important Facts:

2. Indian Prime Minister would be paying a return State visit to Nepal barely a month after Nepal’s Prime Minister K.P Oli visited India.
3. This return visit after a short period of time signifies the intensity of political engagements at the highest levels.
4. In Nepal, Mr Modi would visit two religious shrines at Janakpur and Muktinath and the two leaders would jointly lay the foundation stone of the Arun III hydropower project.
5. The relations between India and Nepal go back to ancient times and are multifaceted.india has been supportive of democratic movements in Nepal since 1950s.
6. Both the countries share wide wide ranging socio cultural commonalities and geopolitical realities.
7. No two sovereign and independent nations interact everyday in a comprehensive way as India and Nepal do.
8. People-to-people relations are characterised by mutual good will, respect and cordiality, harmony and understanding. They have never been bitter even at their worst.
9. The good relations at the ground level are not reflected at the official level dealings despite words of reassurance from the leadership.
10. one to one meeting reflects double standards as one thing is said in the public and another in while in office.
11. In 2014, Mr Modi was the first Prime Minister to visit Nepal in 17 years. this visit enhanced mutual trust and confidence and changed the dynamics of the agr old relations.
12. The Indian Prime Minister attended the 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Summit in 2014 in Kathmandu.
13. Over the last four years there have been significant developments in the bilateral relations, fundamental transformations in economic, political and societal terms and the rapidly unfolding regional and global geopolitical scenarios.
14. Nepal promulgated an inclusive, democratic Constitution made by the Constituent Assembly.
15. India’s reaction as the world’s largest democracy to the protests after the promulgation of the Constitution was significant.
16. India’s undeclared economic blockade after the Nepali Constitution was passed, eroded the trust and confidence between the two countries.
17. Ties under Prime Minister, Sushil Koirala:

• Followed courageous pragmatism in the conduct of foreign policy
• Respected India’s concerns and sensitivities when needed and asserted Nepal’s sovereignty when circumstances demanded.
• Was not ready to trade their dignity and sovereignty for support and goodwill of any kind.  For example, the PM discussed the Lipulekh issue immediately over the phone when it was included in the India-China joint statement.

18. Nepal has always showed that it will not allow any activities against India under any circumstances.
19. The leaders of the left and right use the rhetoric of populism and jingoism directed against India for the sake of vote bank.
20. A reactive, ad hoc and divisive approach in foreign policy shatters international trust in leadership.
21. Suggestions by Dinesh Bhattarai:

• The precious state of  relations are to be protected.
• A replication of past mistakes is to be avoided.
• Bridge the gap to realise the full potential of relations.
• Political acumen with a vision is required to overcome petty technicalities and bureaucratic meme.
• It is high time to develop trust between the two countries. And this trust develops only when words are translated into beneficial partnerships, cooperative actions and concrete results.