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VOL. 28, NO. 23, March 06, 2009 (Falgun 23 2065)
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NEIGHBOURS
Elephantine Concerns
As Nepal faces a fresh bout of instability, India and China compete for a stronger ground in Nepal
By SUSHIL SHARMA
They are at it – one more time. More vigorously than before. In making Nepal a zone of battle. For a greater influence, presence and say in their common small neighbourhood.
The reason: India and China both see the “new Nepal” as a potential security threat.
A series of visits from across the Himalayas and the Plains over the past year underscored their concerns. Amply
Two recent high-profile visits from the elephantine neighbours capped the series.
First came the foreign secretary, Shiv Shanker Menon, from India. On a sudden and unscheduled visit. Despite being told beforehand that his Nepalese counterpart, Gyan Chandra Acharya would be away in China.
Even as the “happy” diplomat left for Delhi after a 24-hour Kathmandu sojourn, a special envoy from Beijing was getting ready for a similar sojourn.
Hu Zhengyue arrived less than a week later.
If Menon returned home expressing satisfaction that the long-pending extradition treaty is “almost final”, Hu came up with a draft of revised peace and friendship treaty.
A few months earlier, the game was at even more higher level.
Key assembly elections at home did not come in the way of external affairs minister, Pranab Mukherjee, in dashing off to Kathmandu, for crucial talks with key Nepali political players.
He was followed a week later by his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jeichi.
“It was a tit-for-tat”, said a diplomat, “not a sheer coincidence of timing.”
The details of the talks are not known – publicly. But few doubt that the emerging world powers are at play.
![Indian Foreign Secretary : Security Concern ]](/contents/2009/englishweekly/spotlight/mar/mar06/shiva-shanker-menon.jpg) |
| Indian Foreign Secretary : Security Concern |
As the much-touted “new Nepal” – not unsurprisingly -- veers towards a fresh and dangerous bout of instability and chaos, the two giant neighbours are getting increasingly nervous over each other’s designs. Hence a rivalry to gain a strong foothold.
“But there is a commonality of interest too,” said an analyst. Both India and China see the instability in Nepal as a ground for other international players to play their games.
If the two bury hatchet over their respective security concerns in Nepal – even if only for now , the political scene in their small neighbourhood could witness a dramatic change.
Is such a change in the offing? Yes, going by what the former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala has been hinting at, in his recent statements.
Said Koirala, “both India and China have lately realized the importance of stability in Nepal.”
How does that “realization” by the two competing powers translate into action will determine the political course of Nepal in times to come.
