Nepal’s Foreign Policy and Her Neighbours Nepal’s Foreign Policy and Her Neighbours Editors Pramod Jaiswal Geeta Kochhar in association with Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies G.B. Books New Delhi Nepal’s Foreign Policy and Her Neighbours Published by Smt Neelam Batra G.B. Books PUBLISHERS & DISTRIBUTORS 4832/24, S-204 Prahlad Lane Ansari Road, New Delhi-110002 Ph: 09810696999, 011-41002854 E-mail: [email protected] © Authors All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the authors and the publishers. First published 2016 ISBN: 978-93-83930-51-7 Composing and Printing in India Dedicated to Aahana and Aayan Foreword No two countries in the world have a closer relationship at a people to people level and at the same time, have such a complex relationship at a government to government level as India and Nepal. Despite such strong ties of history, geography, culture, language and religion that have translated into a roti-beti ka rishta among the madhesis as well as the pahadi elite, at a state to state level, the relationship has witnessed periods of acrimonious rhetoric which often regenerates deep seated suspicions. Unfortunately, this has given rise to a narrative of anti-Indianism, disguised as Nepali nationalism. Successive governments in both countries have ignored it because it is always a minor irritant in the present when both sides want to get things done; what has been missed is its long term corrosive impact on the bilateral relationship. The sane voices that have called for restraint on rhetoric are often drowned out by the growing cacophony of the 24/7 news channels that thrive on controversy. Amidst such high decibel exchanges that create more noise than light, this book is a refreshing change that deals with the complexity of Nepal’s foreign policy in a changing world. In many ways, Nepal’s leaders think that Nepal’s world has not changed because it was Prithvi Narayan Shah who described Nepal as “a yam between two boulders” and there is a chapter with the same title in this book. The question is that if the boulders are changing their equation, should the yam be content to still consider itself a yam? Does the approach adopted by the Palace from the late 1950’s and used in recent times by leftist leaders like Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and K P S Oli as Prime Ministers reflect an understanding of the 1960’s or does it reflect the state of India-China relations today, and more important, does this serve the interests of the patient and long suffering people of Nepal, who to add to their woes, have also been battered by the worst earthquake last year after 1934? This book does well to highlight many aspects of this complex relationship, exploring the underlying layers and exposing some of the short sighted policies that both Indian and Nepali political leaders have adopted in the interests of political expediency. Most important, it reflects viii • Nepal’s Foreign Policy and Her Neighbours a very welcome renewed interest in scholarship in India’s neighbourhood which has suffered in recent decades because most scholars have focussed on India’s relations with major powers. This book is a modest attempt to redress the balance. Rakesh Sood Former Indian Ambassador to Nepal Acknowledgements The book aims to provide the changing dynamics in the foreign policy of Nepal and its relations with its closest neighbouring states India and China by understanding the various complexities and contradictions in their relations. Though the rise of India and China is seen as competing or even conflicting in nature, Nepal is looked upon as a real buffer between the two giants. However, Nepal also seems to have its own expectations and interests in building harmonious ties with the rising powers. The book consists of twelve chapters by young and most dynamic scholars from Nepal and India for an in-depth study on Nepal’s Foreign policy and its relations with its neighbours especially since the restoration of democracy. It is the outcome of the combined effort of the authors of various paper incorporated in the book along with my personal contribution as an editor. Here, we would like to thank all the authors Ashay Abbhi, Dr. Bawa Singh, Bhoj Raj Poudel, Bibek Chand, Biswas Baral, Dr. Geeta Kochhar, Gunjan Singh, Dr. Sangit Sarita Dwivedi, Shabaz Hussain Shah, Dr. Shahnawaz Mantoo, Simi Mehta, Soumya Awasthi and Dr. Vivek Kumar Srivastava for their timely submission. We would like to put on record and acknowledge the support of many scholars in completion of this book. Our special thanks go to Rakesh Sood, Former Ambassador to Nepal, Dr. Shambhu Ram Simkhada, Former Diplomat and Foreign Policy Expert from Nepal and Dr. Jaya Raj Acharya, Former Ambassador of Nepal to the United Nations for their encouragement and support. I would also like to thank many other senior scholars and friends who helped me and guided me in finalising the draft of the book. Last but not the least; I would like to thank the publisher G.B. Books for providing all help and support for publishing the book.