NEW DELHI: Nepal under veteran communist leader K P Sharma Oli will follow a “neutral” foreign policy focused on securing national interests and territorial integrity, while not allowing anyone to use its territory to target any third country, according to Oli’s party CPN (UML). However, Oli will likely press India to address outstanding issues like the border dispute and trade imbalance, a top party functionary told TOI.
While the latest round of what has come to be known as Nepal’s own Game of Thrones has again thrown up Oli as the head of govt, India may not necessarily be disquieted by the return of the “pro-China” functionary.
For one, Oli will form a govt with support from India-leaning Nepali Congress (NC), the largest party in House of Representatives with 89 seats. NC and Oli’s party, which has 78 seats, struck a power-sharing agreement that will see the three-time PM assuming office again for 21 months, followed by Congress’ Sher Bahadur Deuba for the remaining period.
Oli’s previous term is remembered for the political row with India over Nepal’s new map that claims territory in Uttarakhand. However, while India’s ties with NC help hedge against unexpected developments in a political environment fraught with rent-seeking and individual interests, Oli himself worked as PM to ramp up economic ties with India, by launching largest hydropower project in the country with Indian PM Modi. Modi, too, visited Nepal twice with Oli as his counterpart.
Not having good relations with India is not an option for Nepal, CPN (UML) head of foreign policy dept Rajan Bhattarai told TOI. “We have multi-dimensional ties with India that has an important role to play in realising (Oli’s) ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’ goal,” he said, while ruling out any dramatic shift in Nepal’s approach to India or China.
According to Bhattarai, however, pending issues related to border, trade deficit, water and transit must be addressed. Nepal’s position on dispute over Kalapani area, which is of strategic significance because of its location at India-China-Nepal tri-junction, will remain the same as he said that while Nepal is ready to listen to Indian side and have “open-minded” talks, it’s important to heed “historical facts”. Bhattarai reiterated Nepal’s position that as per the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli, all territories east of the Kali river, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh, belong to Nepal.
On the row over Nepal’s decision to issue a new map showing disputed areas in Nepal, the official said that Oli govt’s action was in response to India’s new map, issued after reorganisation of J&K, that included Nepal’s territory.
While the latest round of what has come to be known as Nepal’s own Game of Thrones has again thrown up Oli as the head of govt, India may not necessarily be disquieted by the return of the “pro-China” functionary.
For one, Oli will form a govt with support from India-leaning Nepali Congress (NC), the largest party in House of Representatives with 89 seats. NC and Oli’s party, which has 78 seats, struck a power-sharing agreement that will see the three-time PM assuming office again for 21 months, followed by Congress’ Sher Bahadur Deuba for the remaining period.
Oli’s previous term is remembered for the political row with India over Nepal’s new map that claims territory in Uttarakhand. However, while India’s ties with NC help hedge against unexpected developments in a political environment fraught with rent-seeking and individual interests, Oli himself worked as PM to ramp up economic ties with India, by launching largest hydropower project in the country with Indian PM Modi. Modi, too, visited Nepal twice with Oli as his counterpart.
Not having good relations with India is not an option for Nepal, CPN (UML) head of foreign policy dept Rajan Bhattarai told TOI. “We have multi-dimensional ties with India that has an important role to play in realising (Oli’s) ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’ goal,” he said, while ruling out any dramatic shift in Nepal’s approach to India or China.
According to Bhattarai, however, pending issues related to border, trade deficit, water and transit must be addressed. Nepal’s position on dispute over Kalapani area, which is of strategic significance because of its location at India-China-Nepal tri-junction, will remain the same as he said that while Nepal is ready to listen to Indian side and have “open-minded” talks, it’s important to heed “historical facts”. Bhattarai reiterated Nepal’s position that as per the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli, all territories east of the Kali river, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh, belong to Nepal.
On the row over Nepal’s decision to issue a new map showing disputed areas in Nepal, the official said that Oli govt’s action was in response to India’s new map, issued after reorganisation of J&K, that included Nepal’s territory.