Between India and Nepal, barriers come down

Source: The post is based on the article “Between India and Nepal, barriers come down” published in the Indian Express on 13th June 2023

Syllabus: GS 2 – India and Neighbourhood relations.

Relevance: About India-Nepal relations.

News: The recent visit of the Nepali Prime Minister to India has highlighted the ongoing developments in India-Nepal relations.

What are the key decisions made during the recent visit?

The decisions taken during the visit overcome the political and psychological barriers that have long hampered cooperation between the two countries.

What are the key discussions left out from the recent visit?

a) For the first time in recent years, the revision of the India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1950 was not raised, b) Earlier Nepal demanded turning the open border into a regulated one. But this visit did not pose such demands, c) In 2020, Nepal made a unilateral claim for nearly 350 sq km of territory in the Lipulekh area. This greatly enlarged the original 35 sq km of disputed territory in the upper reaches of the Kali River. This border issue was not also debated in the recent visit, and d) Recruitment of Nepali Gurkha soldiers by the Indian Army, in the wake of the Agnipath scheme, was also not part of the talks.

Note: Nepal demanded the Gurkha recruits from Nepal shall be exempted from the four-year tenure laid down under the Agnipath scheme.

All this shows a positive development in bilateral ties.

What are the recent developments in India-Nepal relations?

Why does Nepal need India’s assistance?