Ties with Nepal

THE unanimous approval of a Constitution amendment Bill by Nepal’s House of Representatives to change the country’s political map would have met with consternation in New Delhi. The territorial issue — the altered map will include Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura areas, which ‘lie completely within the territory of India’ — drives a new wedge between the two nations. Allowing it to take a collision course and to spiral into a crisis is a setback for diplomacy. The ‘special relationship’ has been under strain for quite some time, and it is not all Kathmandu’s doing. However, a deep freeze in ties or a dead-end would be an incorrect reading, and an undesirable proposition.

Nepal’s ever-increasing dalliance with China and supposed deference while reshaping policy is a matter of huge concern. The displeasure would have been duly conveyed. India, however, would be better served by recognising its neighbour’s apparent balancing act in the context of the changed internal and external complexities in the region. Underplaying this and relying instead on sentiment does not seem a sustainable strategy. It is inevitable that the bilateral relationship is primed for realignment. How New Delhi handles it from here will largely dictate the future course of good neighbourly friendship.

For a start, it is important for both sides to tone down the rhetoric and not let it be hijacked by a parochial narrative. The focus should be unambiguous: how to advance ties. Even if the Nepalese foreign minister’s remarks that the map issue will not be allowed to turn into a dispute are taken with a pinch of salt, the underlying belief that dialogue is the only acceptable way forward is a positive takeaway. A new framework for engaging Nepal with mutually satisfactory bilateral arrangements could well be the answer. India cannot afford to lose a friend, or appear to be bending to placate. Diplomats have a challenging task ahead.

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