Amidst unending miseries and increasing political uncertainties, the biggest festival of poor Nepalis has come and gone. In what way the festive occasion gave joy an happiness to the beleaguered Nepalis we don’ know. But we do know the SPAM politicians are taking the country towards the brink of the precipice and the international community and Nepal’s traditional friends refuse to accept the reality by giving a blind eye to their anti-national behavior. The postponement of the elections to the Constituent Assembly sine die has not only exposed the ruling parties and their collaborators to their bones but also disillusioned the poor Nepalis about the sincerity of the concerns shown by Nepal’s friends and benefactors for the Everestean problems facing her. With such a huge and powerful country like India as its immediate neighbor on three sides that Nepal has not been able to reap any substantial benefits is a clear indication of the severe lacunas persisting in their bilateral relations. Despite the social, cultural, religious and historical commonalities, both the countries continue to harbor mistrusts and misgivings against each other. It is high time India made a detailed reassessment of her policy towards Nepal. Winning over a handful of self-oriented and unscrupulous politicians does not mean that India has won the goodwill and admiration of all the Nepalis. As a matter of fact Nepal too, it seems, has become an extension of India’s failed foreign policy in her entire neighborhood. And this demands that Nepal also started reshaping her foreign policy with her two big neighbors in particular and SARRC countries in general. Her lopsided and submissive policy has not been able to win her friends even in her own region. Nepal has never made any sincere endeavors to cement relations with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Pakistan, as the second largest country with nuclear capabilities should have played a much bigger role in the region. But, she thinks, her interests lie more in her west than in her east. And as far Nepal is concerned, Nepal has not been able to make any tangible impact on Pakistan policymaking cells and as such, the bilateral relations have stayed superficial. If both countries desire, there is ample room for development. It is very unfortunate that Nepal’s policy makers have never thought of expanding her relations with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Even Nepal’s traditional friends like the United Kingdom and number one country, the United States have started looking at Nepal through Indian eyes and heavily following Indian guidelines. The most regressive part of Nepal’s foreign policy has been her unpardonable failure to cash on China’s good will, the most dependable friend and neighbor. China has never tried to destabilize politics in Nepal. Ever since the starting of the diplomatic relationship in late fifties of the last century, China has constantly stood by the Nepali people. This author still remembers his talks with Chinese foreign minister Chen Yi in 1964-65 when he minced no words saying” China will ever be with you when you need her.” Indeed, times have changed but China’s policy towards Nepal has not. And if the integrity of poor Nepal is really endangered by the submissive policy of the anti-national politicians, the Nepali people shall have to forsake all diplomatic niceties and directly make public appeal to their Chinese friends to come to their rescue. Such a predicament would not arise if India stops fishing in Nepal’s troubled waters by continued destabilization of her domestic politics.

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