National 1 (Spotlight Weekly)

Nepal's India Policy

Nepal follows a foreign policy based on age-old dictum that Nepal is a yam between two boulders - India and China

By KESHAB POUDEL

After the integration of the Kingdom of Nepal, King Prithivi Narayan Shah, the Great, propounded the policy that Nepal is a yam between the two boulders. In his Dibyaupadesh, Prithivi Narayan Shah spelled out the foreign policy Nepal needs to pursue vis-à-vis two neighbors India and China.

More than two centuries have passed since Prithivi Narayan Shah propounded his policy but Nepal's geographical and geo-strategic situation remains unchanged and the policy is still valid as it was before.

In his recent interview to local vernacular daily, former prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa, who served as prime minister for the longest period of time with three different Kings - late Mahendra, late Birendra and present King Gyanendra - and two different political systems, has revealed that Nepal does not have India policy.

Nepal has been following the policy of survival. As long as the geographical reality remains unchanged, the policy propounded by Prithivi Narayan Shah guarantees Nepal's independence.

"This land in which the Nepalese have built their nation is a rugged rectangle, tip-tilted slightly to the northwest and balanced precariously between the great plateau of central Asia and the Indian subcontinent," writes Ludwig F. Stiller, S.J, in his book Nepal Growth of a Nation. "Today landlocked, hedged in by great powers, the Nepalese still proudly assert their independence in the family of nations."

Thapa is not the only one to talk about Nepal's foreign policy or the lack of it. Some intellectuals and policymakers, too, stress on the need to have clear India policy. At the international level, it is not the policy of small country that can influence the pattern of relations but it is the policy of big country that make a lot of difference in small country's affairs.

"Nepal had yet to reach full understanding with India. Perspectives of viewing India in Nepal are diverse. In such a situation, Indians cannot be totally open with us," said former prime minister Thapa.

Nobody knows whether it is simply an ignorance on the part of the longest serving prime minister or something else? Being the longest serving prime minister, Thapa might have seen many ups and downs in the relations between India and Nepal. Did he ever feel policy lacuna while serving as a prime minister? In the past, Thapa had never spoken about this aspect to the people.

Thapa also has worked with the five Indian prime ministers during his tenures including Morarji Desai, Indira Gandhi, I.K. Gujaral, Atal Behari Vajpayee and Man Mohan Singh.

Thapa, a shrewd politician, remained tight lipped over India's foreign policy towards Nepal. Perceval Landon, in his book History of Nepal, recalls how Rana ruler Chandra Sumsher, though he was reported to be pro- British - maintained his relations with northern neighbor sending missions to China.

Whatever the nature of rulers that ruled this country, Nepal always followed the foreign policy propounded by Prithivi Narayan Shah.

Whether it was during the period King Mahendra's rule or absolute Rana rulers or present government, all the politicians pursued the policy for the survival maintaining balance between the two boulders. At different times when Nepal mis-stepped or disturbed the balance, the country has seen internal turmoil.

In recent weeks, some Nepalese intellectuals are trying to project that Nepal's lack of policy is responsible for the present crisis.

At a time when Nepal has two strong neighbors, there is going to be more difficult time ahead for it to pursue the policy of survival.