India in recent years has tried its best to keep out from the political affairs of Nepal. After Nepal promulgated a new constitution in 2015, India, for a couple of years, pressed Nepal’s major political parties to address the demands of Madhes-based parties. It also imposed an undeclared border blockade, only to see the move backfire in the form of rising anti-Indian sentiments among Nepali public, and parties like the UML cashing in on this feeling to win elections and take a pro-China approach.
Indian officials say they have taken a policy of working with whichever party comes to power. Political analyst Vijaya Kanta Karna said the main purpose of Kwatra’s visit is to convey the message that India is ready to work with the new government led by Prime Minister Dahal. The visit, he added, also has a geopolitical significance because it came on the heels of a series of high-level visits from the US and China. Despite India’s so called hands-off approach on Nepal, India’s preference is not hidden. It wanted the continuation of the NC-led five-party coalition following the Nov 20 general election. During his stay in Nepal, Indian Foreign Secretary Kwatra met, among others, President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister and Maoist Chairman Dahal, NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba, UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, and CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal. Kwatra also set the tone for PM Dahal’s India visit, which is likely to take place after the presidential election scheduled for March 9. He tentatively discussed the possible agenda for Dahal’s visit. Kwatra also held an official meeting with his Nepali counterpart Bharat Raj Paudyal and reviewed various aspects of bilateral relations, including connectivity, trade and transit, power sector cooperation, agriculture, and education. India has stepped up connectivity projects in Nepal. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two sides reviewed with satisfaction the progress made in connectivity projects such as railways, transmission lines, bridges and integrated checkposts. Nepal and India also discussed the early conclusion of the renewed transit treaty, review of the trade treaty, and convening of the inter-governmental committee on Trade (IGC) at an early date. Power trade between two countries also prominently figured in the bilateral talks. The ministry said the two sides expressed commitment to allowing the export of power from Nepal to India on a long-term basis by utilizing all products of the exchange market. Technical issues regarding the upgrading of cross-border transmission lines and early approval of the four proposed transmission line projects were also discussed. Foreign Secretary Paudyal also reiterated Nepal’s request for additional air-entry routes as well as early concurrence of the near-border flight operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport. As for boundary disputes between the two countries, including in Susta and Kalapani, there was no substantial discussion. The ministry said the two secretaries discussed boundary matters, where they exchanged views on completing the boundary works in the remaining segments through an established bilateral mechanism.
