Political crisis in Nepal and India’s stand

Context

The Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda won a vote of confidence in the 275-member lower house of Parliament recently.

Political crisis in Nepal

• Floor test of January 2023

• • • Nepalese PM took oath for the third time in December 2022 (he had been Prime Minister earlier in 2008-09 and 2016-17).
    • He received 268 votes in the floor test of January 2023 after receiving support from nearly all parties, such as the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML.

• Second floor take a look at in March 2023

• • • The Nepalese PM had to seek a second vote in March 2023 after CPN-UML and the monarchist Rastriya Prajatantra Party withdrew support.
    • These parties withdrew support over Nepalese PM’s backing for Ramchandra Paudel of the Nepali Congress to be President.
    • Nepali Congress supported the Nepalese PM government in the course of this floor test.

• Third floor test in March 2024

• • • On March 4 this year, Nepalese PM dumped Nepali Congress (led by way of Deuba) and went back to CPN-UML (led via K P Sharma Oli), which caused the vote in Parliament.

• Nepal had seen 13 governments when you consider that 2008

• • Nepal has had 13 governments since 2008, the 12 months in which the country’s 239-year-old monarchy was abolished and a republic traded into proclaimed.
  • Over the years, Nepalese PM, Deuba, and Oli had been the leading political actors in Nepal.

Impact of political instability on Nepal

• The political instability in Nepal has impacted the country’s economy.
• Thousands of younger Nepalis are heading abroad, particularly to the Middle East, South Korea, and Malaysia, on the lookout for paintings.
• In 2022-23, approximately 7.7 lakh people got permits to visit overseas job destinations.

India’s stand

• Cause of concern for India

• • • The moreordinary political instability in Nepal is of concern to India, in which Nepalese PM’s movements are being watched with a mixture of caution and admiration.
    • However, while the Prachanda keeps substantial goodwill in New Delhi, his now partner in government, Oli, does not.

• Oli and India

• • • The moves and statements by Oli in 2015 had brought on an honest bit of bitterness in India.
    • During his tenure the Nepalese charter was drafted, which caused protests and the notorious border blockade.
    • Oli, who was Prime Minister then, portrayed India as the neighbourhood bully in his country.

• Nepal being defined as India-locked

• • Politicians in Nepal have frequently described the country as being India-locked, meaning it needs India for access to ports.

Bilateral cooperation among India and Nepal

• Bilateral trade between India and Nepal

• • • India is Nepal’s largest trade partner, with bilateral trade crossing $7 billion in FY 2019-20.
    • India presents transit for nearly all of Nepal’s third country trade.
    • Indian exports to Nepal have grown more than 8 instances during the last decade, at the same time as exports from Nepal have nearly doubled.

• Cooperation throughout Covid Pandemic

• • • During the Covid-19 pandemic, India furnished help of more than $7 million to Nepal.
    • This covered the supply of higher than 23 tonnes of medicines and medical system, higher than 9.5 million doses of vaccines, and a medical oxygen plant.

• People to people contact and remittances

• • About 8 million Nepalese residents stay and work in India, and some 6 lakh Indians live in Nepal. Indians are about 30% of foreign travelers in Nepal.
  • The bilateral remittance waft is expected at $3 billion from Nepal to India, and $1 billion in the opposite direction.

India Vs China in Nepal

• Use of Chinese card by Nepal

• • • Nepal is sandwiched between the two Asian giants.
    • The Nepalese political management, which includes the country’s former monarchs, has long sought to play the China card to control the connection with India.

• China is pouring aids to wean Nepal faraway from India

• • China has been pouring aid and investment in infrastructure to wean Kathmandu away from New Delhi.
  • Nepalese imports from China nearly tripled from (Indian) Rs 49.5 billion in 2013-14 to Rs 138.75 billion ($1.67 billion) in 2022-23.

Conclusion

• New Delhi’s function on the politics and future of Nepal must stay nuanced and flexible, with the people of Nepal at its centre. It has to ensure that China or its proxies do not get an opportunity to trip on suspicion or prejudice in opposition to India.
• More than an elder brother, India must take steps to make Nepal an equal partner.

Source: The Indian Express

UPSC Mains Practice Question

“Recent political turmoil in India’s neighbourhood, requires a reset in India-Nepal relations.” Critically Analyse the statement in context of India-Nepal relation. (250 words).

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