Old ties, new Nepal: What India needs to negotiate, Pg16

Key Highlights:

• Rabi Lamichhane, chief of Nepal's ruling Rastriya Swatantrata Party (RSP), met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday.
• This visit marks the highest-level engagement from Nepal since the RSP came to power in March this year, led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah.
• Nepal's new government, influenced by a Gen Z movement, features a younger parliament with nearly 38% of lawmakers under 40.
• Prime Minister Balendra Shah has adopted a unique diplomatic stance, refusing to meet officials below his rank and imposing a self-ban on foreign travel for his first year.
• India views Nepal as a "priority partner" and seeks to collaborate with the new government, emphasizing "development diplomacy" and enhanced connectivity.

Detailed Insights:

• The RSP's rise signifies a shift from traditional Nepali political actors, presenting a new challenge for India's diplomatic engagement.
• PM Balendra Shah's unconventional approach, including meeting foreign ambassadors in groups, led to the cancellation of a planned visit by India's Foreign Secretary.
• The visit by Lamichhane was facilitated by the BJP for party-level engagement, aiming to unblock a potential diplomatic deadlock between the two nations.
• Days before the visit, PM Shah controversially stated that Nepal had "encroached" on Indian territories and sought the involvement of China and the UK in the border dispute.
• India categorically rejected any third-party involvement in its boundary dispute with Nepal, reiterating its stance on bilateral resolution.
• Lamichhane's post-meeting statement with PM Modi focused on "development diplomacy," emphasizing shared civilizational bonds, digital corridors, and seamless connectivity, without mentioning the border issue.
• India aims to project itself as an "elder brother" rather than a "big brother" to counter perceptions of bullying, especially after the 2015 unofficial border blockade.
• Bilateral ties are strong, with 80 lakh Nepalese living in India and significant trade, tourism, and remittance flows, estimated at US$3 billion from Nepal to India and US$1 billion from India to Nepal.
• The China factor plays a significant role, with Beijing seeking increased influence in Nepal, prompting India to maintain a nuanced diplomatic approach to prevent suspicion.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Development Diplomacy: A foreign policy approach that prioritizes economic cooperation and development initiatives to strengthen bilateral relations.
• Gen Z Movement: A socio-political phenomenon driven by younger generations, often leading to demands for political change and new leadership.
• Bilateral Relations: The political, economic, and cultural interactions and ties between two sovereign countries.