India, Nepal need to ignore disruptive ploys

Context: Tensions between India and Nepal should ignore disruptive factors (China) lurking in the vicinity for instigating fractious diplomacy.

Present three-pronged challenge for India:

• Shattered hopes of India’s goal of $5 trillion due to Corona virus breakout.

• Politico-diplomatic headache originating from Nepal.

• Military-politico muscle flexing by China over Line of Actual Control (LAC).

China’s Role

• Strategic aim: To command and control vast water resources and reservoirs of the entire Himalayas; the virtual lifeline for more than 1.8 billion people of South Asia.

• Brash diplomacy: every South Asian bilateral of India has turned into trilateral or multi-lateral, owing to the brash diplomacy of China to fulfil its global goal.

India’s claims:

• Treaty of Sugauli: British got the area west of Kali including Garhwal and Kumaon.

• No Ambiguity: from the language of Nepal-British treaties pertaining to Indian territories lying to the west of the Kali river, there no ambiguity that these have been with India.
• Fight between two foreign powers (British and Nepal): for parceling out Indian soil in the 19th century.

Way Forward: India needs to calibrate its’s relations with neighbouring countries that are based on the fraternal ties and should shine of out the darkness posed by the third person.