Nepal's Diplomatic Policy Strategy Between China And India (Essay Sample)

NEPAL’S DIPLOMATIC POLICY STRATEGY BETWEEN CHINA AND INDIA
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Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u 1.0 Introduction PAGEREF _Toc500233037 \h 32.0 Balancing Between China and India PAGEREF _Toc500233038 \h 33.0 Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc500233039 \h 54.0 References PAGEREF _Toc500233040 \h 7
1.0 Introduction
Nepal is one of the Himalayan countries in Southern Asia. Since it is bordering China to the north and India in south, west and east, the country is landlocked with only two neighbouring nations. As a result most of Nepal’s political and economic activities have been under the control of China and India. Due to the peace and friendship treaty signed in 1950 between India and Nepal, India has enjoyed a cordial relationship with Nepal with most of the bilateral trade talks and military trainings between being done amongst the two countries (Nayak 2010: 579-593). India also maintained the exclusive rights to supply military equipment to Nepal as mentioned in the treaty. However, after the abandonment of monarchy system in 2008 and promulgation of a new constitution in 2015, Nepal has gone slow on their active engagement with India and proposed amendments to the peace and friendship treaty earlier signed. This has given government an opportunity to propose joint military training and future infrastructural development if Nepal agrees to their demands of exploiting possible oil reserves in the country (Kumar 2011: 77-89). Therefore, it remains a topic of interest as Nepal tries balancing and maintaining peaceful relations between China and India.
2.0 Balancing Between China and India
Nepal has to design strategic diplomatic policies in order to keep good relations with the only two neighbouring nations battling for supremacy. While China is encroaching with lucrative development deals, Nepal is tied to the peace and friendship treaty with India (Godbole 2015: 230). With recent transitions in Nepal’s government, swift fluctuations of interests have been noticed thus making it difficult to conclude on Nepal’s outright inclination to one of the countries, China or India. This is because, the former government led by Prime Minister Sharma Oli mostly focused on building China’s relations while the newly inaugurated Prachanda-led government has had many bilateral talks with India than it had been witnessed in the past. This close bonding with India has been pointed as the main reason that China’s President Xi failed to visit Nepal in 2016, since Prachanda was reluctant to implement Chinese government’s proposal of Belt and Road initiative as had earlier been agreed with Oli (Campbell 2010: 267-279). The cold conflicts between China and India is said to have been propelled by China’s reluctance to support India in their bid to be incorporated into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The difference is also attributed to by the China’s supply of ammunition, petroleum and essential products during Nepal’s government fight against the Maoists rebels (Bajpaee 2010: 3-20). China also helped Nepal during India’s blockade of medicine and food supply in protest of the proposed amendments of Nepal’s constitution.
In quest for maintaining neutrality and nonalignment, Nepal has insisted on being declared as a zone of peace. Despite critics’ analysis of inclination to one side, the country’s leaders have always defended their actions as pure and with no ill intentions. For example, the new head of government, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, well known as Prachanda has continuously defended his visit to India saying it is just a tradition that Nepal’s leaders should visit India first, before any other state. Prachanda has since sent diplomats to New Delhi and Beijing for diplomacy briefings and a way of establishing a balanced relations with both India and China. The country’s policy for promoting peaceful coexistence is also supported by her willingness to accept equal trade and economic development opportunities from China and India (Shneiderman 2013: 25-36). While China provides Nepal with grants and loans under the economic and technical cooperation programs, India has been allowed to set various manufacturing and service industries in Nepal, for example, Dabur India, Asian Paints and Punjab National Bank.
Both countries have been offered project developments in Nepal, with some categorised under grants and others repayable at lower interest rates. For example, China has been engaged in the construction of Upper Trishuli Hydropower Project meant to increase power production in Nepal, and the development of Pokhara International Airport, fully financed by Chinese government with lending interests charged much below the market rates. On the other hand India has been contracted on development of rail links for crossing borders at strategic points and construction of integrated check points in Nepal, all projects funded by Indian government based on grant and concessional loans (Chaturvedi 2012: 557-577). Since part of Nepal’s population is composed of Madhesis ethnic group, whose origin is India a close association exists between the two countries prompting for academic scholarships by the Indian government both in the country and abroad. Similarly, the Chinese government has been provided opportunities for education and cultural exchanges though a memorandum of understanding that promotes youth education and tourism entrepreneurship (Reeves 2012: 525-531).
3.0 Conclusion
Since Nepal is complete...