By Deepak Joshi Pokhrel
Whenever an announcement comes from Baluwatar about the Prime Minister’s visit to New Delhi, it invariably hogs the media limelight. The upcoming visit of PM Balen to India is no exception. PM Balen is scheduled to visit India at the invitation of his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, for a three-day official visit beginning on November 22. Voices are now emerging from various walks of life, raising questions about whether the visit will be merely another diplomatic engagement involving meetings with ministers and delegates, followed by press conferences, or whether it will deliver something more substantial. Well, we can only wait and watch.
Since time immemorial, Nepal and India have shared a unique relationship—one that is rarely seen elsewhere. The two countries share long and porous international borders, allowing cross-border movement and interaction with relatively few restrictions. Their people are closely connected socially and culturally. However, recent political developments, particularly in New Delhi, have strained relations between these two immediate neighbours.
Several irritants have contributed to straining relations between the two friendly nations. However, the main bone of contention between them concerns border disputes. The disputed territories, particularly Kalapani in Darchula and Susta in Nawalparasi, are cases in point. On February 13, 1952, the then government led by Matrika Prasad Koirala paved the way for the Indian military to enter Nepal to organise and provide training to the Nepalese Army. Just ten days later, the first team of the Indian military mission arrived in Nepal. Indian soldiers who entered the country under this arrangement were deployed at 17 locations across Nepal. However, later, the Indian military were forced to leave Nepal. As China’s influence in Nepal grew and India perceived it as an emerging threat, India deployed its army in Kalapani for military purposes, bringing the total number of Indian military posts in Nepal to 18.
The deployment of Indian troops in Kalapani drew widespread criticism. Voices against India’s move grew louder, demanding the withdrawal of Indian troops from Nepal. The initiative taken by the then Prime Minister Kirtinidhi Bista during the reign of King Mahendra led to the withdrawal of the Indian Army from the other locations. However, the Indian troops deployed in Kalapani did not leave and continued to remain there, gradually expanding their presence and infrastructure over time.
Over the decades, Kathmandu has made earnest efforts to resolve these issues once and for all. However, despite repeated calls from Kathmandu for dialogue and an amicable settlement, New Delhi has continued to give short shrift to Nepal’s concerns, maintaining that the disputed territories, particularly Kalapani, are integral parts of India.
Beyond the border dispute, the attitude of many Indians towards Nepal is also discouraging. Indian political actors often perceive Nepal as a younger brother and expect it to follow their instructions. On the other hand, sections of the Indian bureaucracy have maintained that Nepal’s bureaucracy is still developing and lacks the skills and knowledge required for diplomatic engagement and negotiations.
While border-related issues have taken a heavy toll on relations between the two friendly nations, New Delhi’s decision to impose what is widely described as an unofficial economic blockade in 2015 further deteriorated the relationship. Nepal had just experienced a devastating earthquake that wreaked havoc across 14 districts. At a time when the country was struggling with post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction, India imposed an economic blockade, citing dissatisfaction with certain provisions of Nepal’s new constitution, thereby adding to the country’s woes. New Delhi’s move deeply disheartened the Nepalese people, who had always viewed India not merely as an immediate neighbour but also as a friend that would stand by Nepal in times of crisis. However, New Delhi’s actions proved them wrong.
As if this were not enough, India’s latest move has further saddened the Nepalese people. With the objective of promoting trade with China, New Delhi and Beijing signed an agreement to resume trade through Lipulekh, a strategic mountain pass in the disputed Nepal-India-China border region. The biggest irony, however, was that Nepal was completely disregarded when New Delhi and Beijing signed the agreement, creating the impression that Kathmandu’s involvement was neither necessary nor warranted.
New Delhi’s construction of a road through Lipulekh further fuelled resentment and disillusionment in Kathmandu. The inauguration of the road in May 2020 was contentious because Nepal considers Lipulekh, along with Kalapani and Limpiyadhura, an integral part of its sovereign territory. Kathmandu views India’s unilateral move as a blatant disregard for Nepal’s territorial integrity.
All these developments have soured relations between the two friendly nations. Against this backdrop, Nepal’s Prime Minister Balen is preparing to make a three-day official visit to its immediate southern neighbour, India. During the visit, PM Balen is expected to pursue seven key agendas, ranging from financial assistance for post-flood reconstruction to the inauguration of India-supported projects.
Beyond the economic and infrastructure-related agendas, however, three political questions deserve particular attention. First, people are wondering whether Balen will be able to raise the issues of Lipulekh and Susta directly with his Indian counterpart. Equally important is whether the Indian Prime Minister will listen to Nepal’s concerns seriously and agree to resolve these disputes through dialogue and negotiations.
Furthermore, over the years, India and Nepal have signed several agreements relating to air connectivity, trade, infrastructure and hydropower. However, many of these agreements have remained unimplemented, gathering dust. One question continues to loom large in the minds of the Nepali public: Will Balen raise these issues and return home with tangible progress?
The visit will be closely watched by political pundits, experts and ordinary citizens. In many respects, it is a litmus test for Balen. Given his popularity, vision and working style, people have placed high hopes in him. They believe that Balen is different from his predecessors. Such expectations have undoubtedly placed him under immense pressure to make the visit a major success.
India is an emerging regional powerhouse with the capacity to help South Asian countries achieve rapid economic growth. It should use its economic strength, diplomatic influence and technical capabilities to act as a catalyst for regional development, both economically and politically, rather than fomenting bitterness among its neighbours. By doing so, India can win the trust and goodwill of these countries, which, in turn, would be more likely to stand by its side in times of crisis.
If New Delhi understands this simple strategy, India will have no immediate adversaries in its neighbourhood.
Login to add a comment