It is clear that Nepal’s future lies in good relations with India

Mr Keshav Raj Jha
President Nepal Council of World Affairs,NCWA

Nepal Council of World Affairs is one of the oldest NGOs of the country. It was established in 1948 to promote better understanding, cooperation and friendship with all the countries of the world. The organisation aims at educating the members and civil society on current regional and global events and its possible impact on Nepal’s foreign policy matters. In this regard, a number of talk programmes and seminars on different countries have been organised.

The workshop on Nepal-India economic cooperation last December was one of the most successful seminars ever conducted by the NCWA. Three eminent Indian scholars and three Nepalese presented papers on socio-economic and political aspects of the cooperation between the two countries and on a possible increased economic cooperation to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The Council is going to publish these papers in a book that will be released within a few months.

The organisation believes in friendship and durable cooperation nurtured with better understanding. It approaches problems with a broader perspective than the prospect of quick gain, as most if its members are scholars, retired civil servants, diplomats or prominent people from civil society. The Council has the honour to have the King as its Chief patron, and is proud to have for the last 50 years promoted goodwill and understanding by inviting scholars and officials from different countries.

No French leader or for that matter a scholar have yet been able to address the Council.

But recently the American Ambassador delivered a speech on American foreign policy specially acquires in the aftermath of the 9-11 sad event.

Several Ambassadors have in this way been invited to talk on various issues including peace and conflict management. Regarding Nepal-India relations in particular, the Indian foreign Minister is expected to address the Council this October if every thing goes as per schedule.

Nepal Council of World Affairs is thus rendering service to the Nation. Although it is independent from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it keeps a link with the latter to inform visiting personalities. It could be noticed that more Indians have addressed the association than Europeans comparatively speaking. The ex Indian Ambassador, now India’s foreign secretary Shyam Saran had recently talked about the prospects for economic cooperation. Such talks are important if they are followed by action. This is the reason why the Council favours a result-oriented approach, as its goal is to make people work together to promote ideas in a concrete manner.

Nepal-India relations can be said unique, unequalled in the world considering the existing social, cultural, religious, economic and political grounds. Most of the Nepalese leaders are actually educated in India and played a part in the struggle for independence in India as well. Moreover, on the religious ground, minds are extremely close and people even share the same rituals. The whole subcontinent belongs in fact to one unit where people are guided by the same religion, values and ethics. Such a relation is unparalleled even if compared with the US-Canada ties, as for them many differences persist. As far as Nepal and India are concerned, one cannot find the differences between the two, mentally, religiously and culturally.

Nepal is surrounded by the two giants of Asia, however cultural values and minds are not so close to China as they are with India. Relations have yet been developed with China on a parallel basis according to the advice of the great ruler Prithvi Narayan Shah. India has shown magnanimity with small countries like Nepal and worked on the principle of equality.

As Nepal is bordered by India on three sides, people sometimes say Nepal is not land-locked but an India-locked nation.

In the economic sphere, it is clear that Nepal’s future lies in good relations with India. Nepal has indeed vast resources such as water or even petroleum. If it works with India, the country can develop for mutual benefit, whereas fighting does not pay. This requires India to demonstrate magnanimity and open heart. Cooperation on water issues has been in this regard discussed. However, people have not managed to make headway for the benefit of poor backward people. Nevertheless, India desperately needs power and Nepal has water. There is hope as a new generation of ministers have come up in India who if proceed with great vision can help benefit the entire region. These young people are indeed interested in economic development and fighting the menace poverty, whereas elders were more concerned in expanding the sphere of influence. Things are thus changing fast both in India and Nepal, and people are looking forward seeing leaders of both the countries work together in peace and harmony.

There are yet obstacles on both sides. Indian leaders should show generosity of spirit, as a prosperous neighbour is always an asset. Thus, the new leadership in India should demonstrate their openheartedness and work for the benefit of the people, which certainly requires sacrifices from the Indian side. Several times, it has been made clear that Nepalese waters would benefit the entire region but things are still not moving as it should have been. So let us remove the hindrances and work together.

Mr. Jha can be reached at keshavrajjha@hotmail.com

(Amandine is a French student of MA Political Science, FRANCE, now an intern at the telegraph weekly)

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