By Our Reporter
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s four-day official visit to India could not be fruitful for Nepal as was expected.
Although seven agreements were inked between Nepal and India in the presence of the Prime Ministers of the two countries in New Delhi on June 1, most of them were in favour of India.
The agreements include:
- Renewal of Nepal-India transit agreement.
- Expansion of the Motihari-Amlekhganj petroleum pipeline to Chitwan and building of a new petroleum pipeline from Siliguri to Jhapa along with storage facilities.
- Collaboration between the Institute of Foreign Affairs and Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service.
- Setting up an integrated check post at Chandni Dodhara.
- Project Development Agreement signed for the Lower Arun Hydropower Project
- India to build Phukot Karnali Hydropower Project
- Digital payment agreement between two countries.
Besides these, India also agreed to build a bridge over the Mahakali at Jhulaghat of Baitadi.
However, no development was made in resolving the border dispute and providing airspace for the landing of aircraft to and from Nepal at the newly built Gautam Buddha International Airport and Pokhara Airport. But Prime Minister Dahal at the airport upon his arrival in Kathmandu and in the Parliament said that he and his Indian counterpart discussed the issue of border dispute during their one-on-one talks in New Delhi. Dahal has also been accused of proposing to settle the border dispute of Kalapani by exchanging other lands from India.
Even in the energy sector, though India agreed to buy 10,000 MW of power from Nepal in 10 years, India did not show its interest in purchasing the power generated from Tamakoshi hydropower as it is produced in Chinese investment. Likewise, no concrete decision was taken to supply electricity to Bangladesh from Nepal. Nepal will be able to supply only 4o MW power to Bangladesh through Indian Grid. But India managed to get hold of a few proposed hydropower projects.
The two sides signed a Memoranda of Understanding with Nepal inviting India’s Satlaj Jal Bidhoot Nigam and the National Hydro Power Corporation to develop 669-MW lower Arun hydro project and 418-MW Phukot Karnali Project respectively.
Completion of the 400-kv Gorakhpur-Butwal transmission line, the inauguration of twin integrated check posts in Rupadia-Nepalgunj and Sunauli-Bhairahawa, providing Nepal access to Indian waterways for trade were the other highlights of the understanding between the two sides.
Likewise, the Pancheshwor project made no headway. Instead, India managed to control a few more rivers of Nepal in the name of developing a joint venture hydropower project. Phuket Karnali is one of the projects agreed to develop on a joint venture with India
The Vidhyut Utpadan Company Limited (VUCL), the Nepal government’s entity, and India’s NHPC Limited had agreed to undertake the Phukot Karnali Hydro Electric Project in a joint venture.
The Indian side shall have 51 per cent share and Nepal shall have 49 per cent share for the 426 MW run-of-river based in Kalikot district in the Karnali Province. The implementation of the project is estimated to cost around Rs 61.86 billion.
PM Dahal looks happy after meeting Modi
Although the recent four-day official India visit of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal drew criticism from the public and opposition parties for not raising the issue of the border dispute and the EPG report and for violating the protocols during the meeting with the Indian officials, PM Dahal himself and his men have boasted of the visit, terming it highly successful.
While the opposition leaders including CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli have ridiculed the visit connecting it with the grant of 15 Murraha buffaloes by the Indian side to Nepal, the public has criticised the worship performed by Dahal in an Indian temple stating that Dahal who never visited Pashupatinath in Kathmandu went to worship in the Indian temple. Oli also accused PM Dahal of floating the idea of a Bangladesh model to resolve the border dispute instead of strongly putting forth his views to retain the Nepali territory of Kalapani, Lipulek and Limphiyadhura captured by India, Likewise, Oli criticised Dahal for keeping his daughter Ganga Dahal instead of foreign ministry officials during the talks with Indian officials.
The general public who are not aware of the Indian practice of sending the state minister to receive the visiting guest, said that PM Dahal was undermined by sending the state minister to receive and see off him at the airport.
However, PM Dahal boasts about his visit stating that he conveyed all his messages to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his one-on-one visit. During the press meet organised at the Tribhuvan International Airport upon his arrival in Kathmandu and while addressing the House, the Prime Minister boasted of his visit stating that important agreements were signed and his Indian counterpart was ready to resolve the border and other disputes.
The power agreement under which India will purchase 10,000 mw power in 10 years was highlighted as the biggest achievement by Dahal while he looked optimistic that India will provide airspace for the landing of aeroplanes in Bhairahawa Airport.
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