The most significant outcome of Nepali Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai's visit to India is the growing trust between the two countries, and between the Indian establishment and his own party, the Unified Communist Part of Nepal (Maoist). The stagnation that marked the bilateral relationship is now broken. New Delhi's policy of trying to keep the Maoists — the legitimately elected biggest party in parliament — out of the power structure over the past two years was counter-productive. It only prolonged the stalemate over constitutional issues, deepened the instability, and generated resentment against India. But there has been a policy course-correction in the last few months. India did well not to try and block the election of Mr. Bhattarai as Prime Minister by using its leverage with the Madhesi parties. The immediate invitation extended to the new leader, the low-key efforts by the new Indian Ambassador in Kathmandu encouraging all sides to be flexible, the new support for the integration of a certain number of Maoist combatants into the Nepal Army, and the atmospherics of the prime ministerial visit show a renewed Indian commitment to playing a constructive role. With a section of the Indian establishment remaining uncomfortable with the emerging rapprochement, Nepal's opposition parties seem to have lobbied with senior members of the Indian cabinet to slow down the engagement with Maoists. Fortunately, this didn't work.
Nepal appears to be on the verge of achieving a breakthrough in its peace and constitutional process. Its political parties are close to an agreement on the issue of the integration of Maoist fighters, which is at the core of the peace process. There is also a power-sharing proposal on the table, with the Maoists saying the Nepali Congress president, Sushil Koirala, can be the next Prime Minister who will lead the country into elections after promulgation of the new constitution. India must play a supportive role, as it did in 2005 when the 12-point agreement was forged. It should continue supporting the present government in its quest to wrap up the political transition, use its leverage with the Nepali Congress to get it to cooperate on the peace process, and nudge the Maoists to implement past commitments. Prime Minister Bhattarai and the Maoists took a political risk in signing the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement — his rivals back home have dubbed it an ‘anti-national' deal — because they want to tell India that they can deliver on contentious issues, including the security of Indian investment. It is vital that India recognises these changing political realities in Nepal, and plays the role of a constructive facilitator once again.
Comments:
This is a splendid step ,which must also be implemented with other small neighbours like Bhutan,Bangladesh etc.
Your editorial makes it sound as if India has not played a constructive role. In fact, India role has been extra-ordinarily constructive. The present Maoist government owes its very existence to the central role of India in getting rid of the monarchy. Yet, the Maoist leadership has been on a poisonous tirade against India. India must work with all political groups in Nepal to ensure that multi-party democracy remains in place, and that the right to free speech is not smothered away by the hidebound Maoist ideology. By engaging with the Maoist leadership India can improve trade linkages to assist in the development of Nepal. Most importantly it can help preserve the freedom of the Nepalese people and that is the most constructive thing that India can do.
India's foreign policy should be based on to mantain good relations with neighbouring country. This is importent for both countries in the strategic level.
Nothing seems to have been done about the contentious 1950 India-Nepal Friendship Treaty. Either this treaty should be scrapped or updated in sync with contemporary International Relations. Abrasive issues like the Kalapani dispute have remained a long standing thorn because it also involves an Indian territorial disagreement with China on Bara Hoti in that area. Again, what is the permanent solution to the acrimonious Madhesi matter? What steps are envisaged for India's river linking project with the rivers that flow down from Nepal? All these and several more such items should be resolved without delay.
The Nepali Congress party is the traditional one which can not address people's demand in the present situation. There is no alternative for Maoist led government in Nepal. All political parties should be support them to conclude the peace and constitution drafting process. After lunching the constitution,too Maoist leader Dr. Baburam Bhattari must be prime minister of Nepal. The government of India and other political parties from there should be assimilate new changing political environment in Nepal. Their role should be supportive not like as disturbance and interference over Nepal. If Nepal get stable and prosperity definitely India will get the maximum benefit.
Its good that India has started factoring in domestic constituencies of its neighbouring countries, which was earlier some how missing-primarily becuase of India's own security concern overtook it from being considerate about our neighbour's concerns and forge a participative and equal partnership. The problem which India faces with its neighbour's are the attitude of their polity towards India which even acknowledging India's economic and military supremacy over themselve is of aggrression most likely to maintain a hypersphere which they think will protect them from India's dominance. They have been doing this through various ways- Leveraging some unresolved issues, disputes or bringing in other global super powers and seeking their economic and defence help. This is what Nepal tried to do right after Maoist first rose to power in 200.They tried to inch closer to china which was less of ideological than tactical. India needs to closely and positively engage its neighbour.
India should work with it's nighbour because it will beneficial for both the countries in along run.
Nepal boasts of India basically on three fronts,being a largest democratic country as neighbor, having similarities on almost all ways of life and of late emerging superpower. So a developing status of an open-border neighbor of Nepal into a 'superpower', India should not dissent on every aspiration of Nepal to rise at par with her which reflects at times on traditional Indian Bureaucrats who rather than co-evolve, prefer to dictate on her northern and classic neighbor and Indian liberal politicians seem unaware.
basically India and china two economical emerging country in the world where Nepal is situated in between two,is also seeing itself as a peaceful,economical sound country. India should provide leading role with its neighboring countries so that it can emerge as a superpower.