India-Nepal relations are sliding. Deteriorating relations with our northern neighbour affects our security. It allows China and Pakistan to sow seeds of distrust against India in Nepal. China, like India, has direct borders with Nepal and is capable of hurting New Delhi’s interests in Kathmandu. And poor India-Nepal relations can have a serious economic and political impact in Nepal.
The two have many shared identities from time immemorial and should have been best friends. But there have been many periods in their modern history when politics has cast its long shadow on ties. It is truly an irony that the recent cause of dissatisfaction on both sides should spring from the promulgation of a “democratic, secular and federal” Constitution in Nepal last month.
India has contributed to the making of the Constitution through precepts and practical ideas and by helping to reconcile political antagonisms within Nepal in the Constitution-making process. It was surprised that the interests and aspirations of the people living in territories bordering India were not met to their satisfaction, leading to massive protest demonstrations in the Madhesi belt, with some 40 people being killed. New Delhi appeared to lose sight of the fact that the present Constitution, unlike its six predecessors, was created by elected representatives of the people. Its raising of Madhesi issues is valid and rooted in enlightened self-interest. Should the protests be brutally suppressed, it could spill over into India and have unpleasant consequences.
But India could have acted with a soft touch, preferably behind the scenes, to convey its concerns to Nepal. Instead it welcomed the new Constitution in a half-hearted manner, unlike Beijing and Islamabad. Shortly after, the Madhesi protesters stopped critical daily Indian supplies — fuel, food, and medicines — from entering Nepal in order to spite their political opponents in Kathmandu — a short-sighted game.
While India had nothing to do with this, its image in Nepal suffered. A Nepali minister showed amateurishness as he threatened that Kathmandu could turn to Beijing for supplies. This is hardly a practical proposition for many reasons, including geography. Worse, deputy Prime Minister Prakash Man Singh raised the issue of the so-called “Indian blockade” at the UN General Assembly. Nepal going to the UN against India has not happened before.
Mercifully, some Indian supplies have been able to enter Nepal in the past two days although most border crossings are still affected. New Delhi should make every effort to restore relations and refurbish ties with tact.
