Prime Minister’ Nepal Visit after 17 Years: Beginning of a New Era in Indo-Nepal Relations

Prime Minister’ Nepal Visit after 17 Years: Beginning of a New Era in Indo-Nepal Relations

                                                                                           Dr. Keshab Chandra Mandal

E-Mail: mandalkeshab2013@gmail.com

                                                                                                      Date: 13.8.2014

India, after 67 years of its independence, has elected a great Prime Minister, who is not only a soft-hearted but strict in principle, and cute looking but utmost diplomatic in heart. He is a patriot and monk like politician. Also he is wise, prudent and devout political leader. From the very beginning of his tenure Narendra Bhai Damodar Das Modi, the new messiah of Indian politics, has started to show implicitly of his intensions of commanding over the SAARC countries primarily and then on the world body by inviting its neighbors in his swearing-in ceremony at the Rastrapati Bhawan. Three aims remained behind his attempt to woo the SAARC nations. His far-reaching goal of industrialization and investment, rebuilding and strengthening ties with small but strategically important neighbors, and widening job opportunities for Indian youths prompted him to extend good-will and maintain mutual cooperation with them all. With a view to deterring India’s friendly but rival giant donor country and keeping up a win-win relationship with adjoining nations, the sagacious Prime Minister keeps visiting his close and friendly countries.

   For industrialization India needs more energy and here it lacks in. Like his earlier trip to Bhutan, where he boosted up the power projects and infrastructure; in the same way he aimed at harnessing Nepal’s estimated 42,000 MW hydro-electric potential to meet India’s domestic needs and also ensure supplying of India’s giant energy-starved economy. For accomplishing his aim, the Prime Minister did not refrain from declaring havoc financial package to Bhutan. In his Nepal trip also Narendra Modi offered $1 billion in concessasional loans to help build power plants and roads during his two-day (3-4 August) visit to this Himalayan neighbor.

  Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Nepal ended the 17 year’s stagnancy in relations between the two very culturally close countries. This visit was accomplished in keeping with Modi’s focus on India’s immediate neighborhood, where New Delhi’s clout had slipped over the past few years. No Indian Prime Minister has visited Nepal for a bilateral trip since Inder Kumar Gujral in 1997, though Atal Bihari Vajpayee travelled to Kathmandu for the 2002 SAARC summit. This gap of one and half decades widened the scope for China’s entry into the market of Nepal. India did injustice to Nepal despite having geographical proximity, cultural intimacy, economic interdependence and shared political values. India needed to repair the wounds inflicted by its top leaders in last several years. It was one of the first foreign policy issues, which Narendra Modi needed to address. India, with Nepal, could do more business, get constant supply of hydro-power, recapture Nepal’s market, and increase job opportunity for Indian youths. Here lies the far-sightedness and uniqueness of Narendra Modi who excels many of his predecessors. In last one and half decades Indian top leadership suffered from short-sightedness, parochialism, and policy paralysis by neglecting its small but important neighbors and trying to woo the major international powers. During his two day visit to Nepal the Indian Prime Minister expressed his willingness to become a part of Nepal’s journey to prosperity. In the way of prosperity it needs highways, transmission way and information ways where India wished to provide and extend support. Not only that, the land-locked nation can become prosperous by its’ own selling electricity to India in future, Modi told the Nepali politicians in their parliament. The Himalayan nation presently has a capacity of just 600 MW because its development has been held back by years of political instability especially after the abolition of the monarchy in 2008. However, the 5,600 MW Pancheshwar Multipurpose project, which got India’s booster, will definitely usher a new era in the Indo-Nepal relations. It would enhance a win-win relationship between the 27-million-people country and a country with 121-billion-people.

   Narendra Modi was welcomed in Nepal with festoons, banners and waves of raising hands. His visit to Pashupatinath Temple, and performing puja with sandal paste smeared across his forehead, and his offering of 2500 kilos of white sandalwood marked a history in Indo-Nepal relations.  Modiji’s visit was not only praised by general public and politicians across the lines, it was applauded by Nepali President Ram Baran Yadav also who told the Indian Prime Minister during his short forenoon meeting on 4^th of August that, “You have won our hearts and overwhelmed us with what you said in the Constituent Assembly (CA) yesterday”. The Maoist leaders Prachanda and Baburam Bhattarai also expressed their appreciation to him regarding his assessment of a nation in transition. “We have been deeply moved by how well you have absorbed the changes in Nepal, even though you have not been directly connected to us,” they said in a closed-door meeting with the Prime Minister. “We are very satisfied that you have understood the enormity of the changes that are taking place,” they said. Modiji on his part did not forget to congratulate the Maoist leaders’ resolve to shun arms and said “history will be grateful” for their decision to join the democratic process.

   A joint statement issues at the end of the visit reflected the Modi government’s willingness to not only fast-track stalled promises but also to lend Nepal an ear. New Delhi has decided to open itself to reviewing, updating and revising the 1950 Friendship Treaty that has often been a thorn in bilateral sides. Foreign secretaries of the two countries have been asked to take a fresh look ‘based on Nepal’s suggestions’ so that the treaty reflects new realities. The statement also spoke of concluding negotiations on the power trade agreement and the project development agreement within the next 45 days. A whole range of other infrastructure projects, including road and bridge links, have been promised as proof of India’s restated commitment to Nepal’s development. Modiji will definitely keep a keen eye on his government moves so that his pledge turns to delivery, because he will be back to Kathmandu for the SAARC summit in November, and then wouldn’t like to feel the Nepali mood on him altered.