Freedom from being ‘India-locked’

Freedom from being ‘India-locked’

Article:

1. Sujeev Shakya, Secretary General of the Himalayan Consensus Institute, analyse that it is high time for India to redefine its engagement with Nepal rather than continue to be reactive.

Important Analysis:

2. Nepal’s Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oil’s visited to China last month.

3. The visit had much significance because:

• Nepal was just recovering from the Indian blockade that had impacted lives.
• India’s blockade, coming against the backdrop of India reservations about constitution Nepal was adopting.
• Nepal was still recovering from the massive earthquake came in April 2015.

4. Nepal-China relations:

• During visit to China in 2016, Mr Oli, emphasized on the following agendas
• Trade and investment agreement with China on the lines with special agreements with India.
• China became the enabler of connectivity, world trade and dependency as it pushed its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• With Southeast Asia well covered and inroads made in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh for China, Nepal continues to remain the  best conduit for Indian markets for China.
• Nepal will be connected with China through a railway network in addition to roads.
• Optical fibre cables already connected the two nations providing Nepal a much needed alternative to sell excess power.
• Rail and Road networks will also provide Nepal an alternative for petroleum products that continue to remain the highest important product.
• The China has continuously maintained that Nepal’s relation with India is more cost effective than the China and has advised Nepal to work with India.
• For Nepal, developing the relations with China is very important and is more out of compulsion than choice.
• In this situation, it depends on India to rethink on a long-term basis how to recalibrate its relationship with Nepal.

5. India –Nepal relations:

• Nepal has historically remained ‘India-locked as it dependent on India for transit to the seas.
• Nepal is a place of opportunity for people from the border towns of India.
• The impact of the Nepal blockade in Indian border was so intense that it forced Indian traders to tap their own channels to end it.

6. Way ahead:

• India need to realize the new reality that its monopoly over geopolitics in Nepal is over, and there is another relationship that Nepal is nurturing.
• It is high time for India to be proactive and redefine its engagement rather than continue to be reactive.
• The way India has been flexible with the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) meetings is a welcome step in this direction.