The left-wing coalition formed by the two Communist factions in Nepal this month comes as the end-result of a stunning upset in the country’s parliamentary elections, in which the incumbent Nepali Congress party was cast out of power.
The coalition, formed between the Unified Marxist–Leninist and Maoist Centre factions of the Communist Party of Nepal, took two-thirds of the vote and is set to be at the helm of the landlocked Himalayan nation for the next five years.
Headlines such as “Nepal turning red” and “Nepal a vessel state of China” were soon plastered across the front pages of newspapers in India, as New Delhi began brooding over the prospect of losing its “buffer” zone on its old foe in Beijing.
It’s believed that Khadga Prasad Oli, whose premiership was cut short by cracks within a previous leftist alliance, will head the new government in a dramatic comeback. Never liked by New Delhi, Oli’s brief tenure between 2015 and 2016 was beset by conflicts with New Delhi. In particular, the latter’s curtailing of petroleum and gas supplies, in a punitive blockade, resulted in a cascading humanitarian crisis.
Now analysts fear that Kathmandu, under the resurgent Oli, may add more fuel to New Delhi’s feuds with Beijing, at a time when the Chinese army’s purported militarization of the Doklam Plateau in the summer still rankles with Indians.
Chinese party mouthpieces including The People’s Daily and its sister paper The Global Times have been quick to insist that Beijing does not intend to turn Nepal into a pawn, and urged New Delhi not to view its regional relationships through a hidebound, zero-sum prism.
It would, the papers said, be wise for India to make conciliatory overtures toward Nepal, given the hefty backlash that met New Delhi’s attempts to oust the unpliable Oli in 2015.
“Any sharp-elbow tactics from India will only boomerang and push Nepal further closer to China… And it’s wishful thinking to make Nepal another ‘sentry’ country to fend off China, when our nation’s economic and political clout is more intimately felt in Nepal than ever,” noted a Global Times editorial.
With India-Nepal relations in turmoil, Beijing has revved up a slew of reconstruction projects announced in the wake of the 2015 Nepali quakes.
A new campus for the Nepali National Armed Police Academy was commissioned in July, and a modern airport is being built in the nation’s second largest city, Pokhara, aimed at spurring connectivity and trade, not to mention tourism in the scenic nation. The road connecting Pokhara and Katmandu was also built with Chinese capital.
Westerners and Indians like to talk that they have lost this country or that as if they actually own those countries.
The important point to note is that the communists in Nepal are actually capitalist communists. So how is it possible for them to drift towards China?
Bring them in
Shen Shen would like Chinese Communist Party to talk as if they own this country or that. Chinese Communists want to talk as if they own Chinese peoples’ hearts and minds, but Chinese history talks in a hushed and sombre.
You are a confused kid. It is USA that is the hegemon not China.
Well done Nepal. You certainly produced Gurkhas. Nothing can beat your patriotism. Others in the sub-continent should follow your footsteps. Stay blessed.
Because the communishts in China are also capitalist communists. Duh!
Actually according to annual Pew Research surveys, the Chinese people actually give high marks (consistently >80%) to their government.
Although Nepal is getting closer to China for its economic development, Nepal still maintains very cordial ties with India on all aspects, be they political, economic, social or others.
The relations between India and Nepal are quite special and unique. No country in the world has such relations. Both the countries are closely intertwined. They share common languages; culture, customs, history, family to family relations and the economy of both the countries are inter-connected.
Nepal in this day and age cannot afford to pick and choose between its two neighbors. The age-old Nepal-India ties are incomparable to the newfangled but booming Nepal-China relations. The understanding in Nepal is that both India and China will be needed if there is to be lasting peace andstability in Nepal. So Kathmandu will do the balancing act. One reason these elections were projected as a geopolitical contest between India and China is that this story-line sells abroad. Otherwise, who would be interested in elections in a smallish and seemingly insignificant country like Nepal?PM Oli is a wily old fox. Having secured a resounding election victory and a mandate to rule for the next five years, no one should be surprised if as prime minister he makes a concerted effort to improve frayed relations with India, even at the cost of China. He knows that in the long run,geography invariably wins, and thus keeping India happy will be the key for a long and happy stay at the top.
Exactly! Nepal is its own sorvereign state! It is NOT something for India to "lose".
Fuk the india modi
Nepal:
Asians belong with Asians.
https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/unexpectedly-there-is-a-copy-of-china-liberation-army-and-six-star-red-flag.347735/
South Asians are just that. South Asians.
Apples and oranges..
.
Dude, its figurative…Napal and India have a 5,000 year history of brotherly relations. There are some 5 million Nepali citizen work in India without visa, as we have soft border. Oli or No Oli, those facts can not be altered. It was Obvious that Oli was upto mischief in his first tenure, he will only cause more harm to Nepal if he tries to rack up frivilous issues with India.
Indian diplomats and irresponsible beaurocrats are responsible for Nepal being pushed towards North. Economic blockade of 72/73 by India in the name of some petty madhesi parties of Nepal was a blunder. Further, there is a clear comparison of the projects run by India and China in terms of quality anx timeliness. In short, Indian thinking that Nepalese can be bullied is the reason why they turn against. Even people of southern belt where people are culturally close to India, are not happy with Indian attitude nor with the pace of development and poverty reduction in India.
It is rather unfortunate that India has always dealt with its neighbours with the mindset rooted in the Monroe doctrine of the hoary past. It has been more so when it comes to landlocked Nepal against whom India has been in the habit of imposing blockades at frequent intervals even as in regular dealings too the "big brother" has been habitually punishing. India had always tried to keep Nepal as much away from China through hegemonic measures that have only forced Nepal to go looking for respite in help from China. In other words, it has been India that has brought Nepal so close to China over the years. The recent trade, transit and connectivity agreements with China came at the wake of India’s 2015 blockade of earthquake devastated Nepal. Overall, India must realize that its near-abroad foreign policy in general has been historically so faulty as to send all its neighbours too to China’s embrace. But it is never too late for India to take measures such as some far reaching reforms in its foreign policy apparatus to convince her neighbours that this time around, India means well for them. In the case of Nepal’s getting closer to China, India should realize that Nepal is a sovereign country and that it is within her sovereign right to diversify her means of access and communication to the wider world. In the Nepal-India relation this must now be taken as the "New Normal". This must never be mistaken as being anti-India unless one chooses to remain stubbornly rooted to the Monroe doctrine.
Falcon Dave, test Nepal and India have open borders and close economIc and social ties and these will continue even if Nepal enhances its connectivity with China. It will boost investment and tourism and bring greater prosperity to Nepal. However, this is not aimed against India. It is in Nepal’s interest to maintain best of relations with both Asian giants and enhance economic parternership with them; if possible extend them to trilateral cooperation. Falcon Dave, please note that millions of Indians work in Nepal and according to latest data they transmitted $3.5 billions in remittances compared to $1.0 billion in transmitted by Nepali workers in India. Nepal has the largest number of overseas Indians in the world, according to Indian census data.
Nepal wants economic development and as sovereign country does not like
interference from other countries in its internal matter. Nepalese people are
independent to select any party through the election and like to see stability and economic growth of its people. So it is unnecessary and useless to see comments like Nepal is shifting towards China in the Indian newspapers.Nepal wants rail, road and air connectivity with both India and China for its economic development.
We are neither pro indian neither pro chinese. Ofcourse we hate the way india interfere our interests but overall we want to keep friendly relationship with both countries. Such interpretations in media must be stopped that we r either with china or with india. We are with both countries- we will support or object depending on their behaviour.
Nepal a brother country of India is incline towards china due to blocked impose by them . The leaders of India also divided Nepalise people as a name of Pahadiya and Madhesia.
Nepal was very needful of help from big brother India at that time due to heavily heat by Earthquek, but they impose the blocked.
So India lost the title of big brotherhood from Nepal.
Falcon Dave
Nepal a brother country of India is incline towards china due to blocked impose by them . The leaders of India also divided Nepalise people as a name of Pahadiya and Madhesia.
Nepal was very needful of help from big brother India at that time due to heavily heat by Earthquek, but they impose the blocked.
So India lost the title of big brotherhood from Nepal.
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Nepal has huge trade imbalance with neighbouring India. The country had trade deficit worth Rs 52 billion with India. Nepal’s major exports to India are the locally produced goods of INDIAN multinationals, like juice (production of Dabur), yarn, jute and other primary products.
Shuami Bev China hasn’t made high-interest loans to Nepal, then? I think they have, but that also gives them a stake in Nepal.
India is unstable. Better to deal with China.
I live in Nepal as I am married to a Nepali citizen. I have lived here for a number of years so do understand the political scenario a little. Nepal is a poor impoverished country that requires help from both China and India to improve its peoples lives and is not in a position to antagonize either powerful neighbour. The ‘historic’ relationships of religion, family, customs and cultures with India in my opinion have only benefitted Nepal where and when it suited India.India have treated Nepal as a naughty child cutting off essential supplies when they want to punish the unruly child. Greedy Nepali politicians in the past have signed agreements giving India total control over Nepal. Typically the standing petroleum agreement does not allow Nepal to buy petroleum products from any country but India. By stablishing closer ties with China maybe India will have to rethink it’s stance which will only help Nepal.But safer to maintain cordial relationships with both countries if possible.
Nepal should be exactly where we should be, on top of Himalaya. We are friends of all, especially to the neighbors. Our interests are diversifying our trade and transit, and creating jobs within with domestic and foreign investments. It is not our concern nor we are in any capacity to affect if India moves up, down, left or right. Only thing we may suggest India is to visit Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha, and meditate.
Yes, I have heard likes of SD Muni or Ranjit Ray arguing about Indian security concerns in Nepal. Let them dwell on these facts. There is the long border between India and China, no need for China to use Nepal to attack India. On the contrary, China is investing almost 50 billion dollars in India. On the other hand, our concern remains another Indian blockade and meddling with our internal issues. Indian assurances against for the starter are most welcome.
We are a small nation, but a proud nation, that was always independent since times immemorial. We have one of finest people known the world over for their valour and integrity. We have a special relation with one of our large neighbours. We even defend it’s borders with some our finest men. In return we were repeated blockaded, this time for 5 months in the height of our festival season and winter months, that too after a series of crippling earthquakes. Food, fuel, life saving medicines were scarce, and the general public suffering was immense. And many lies were spread about the situation. The whole world ignored our peril. We were treated as a vassal state. This makes us reconsider our position. We have all respects for their people. But even a child here hates them for the extreme hardships we had to undergo. That is all…
China and Nepal friendship barrier was great himalayas to go either side for trade culture or tourism that’s why Nepalese people at that time having lack of knowledge chinese language. However the time is changed…..if the china will allow nepalese people free movement like india and Nepal it will creat deep friendship between Nepal and china. Learning korean, hibru, japanese, english , hindi , urdu , arabic is not difficult for nepalese so they can learn chinese easily. Nepalese politics need to learn chinese as well for better communication and 28 million population is nothing great infront of chinese population. Hope new government and connectivity by rail, air, fiber optics, tunnel will gear up between china and nepal that will ultimately helps to the development of india as well.
It’s now nearly clear that India’s monopoly in Nepal domestic affairs. The question is: Is it China behind?
Realistic, strategic analysis indicates ootherwise
India feels rather shy to show off her enormous string of Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Pakistan pearls to her IndoPacific partners.
India has now realized that Nepal was not alone and so lesson is being learnt how to behave with his neighbours. China should also know the historical relationship between Nepal and India. So that neither India can afford losing Nepal nor China can return Nepal to Communist power so easily. It is only a beginning signs of Communist power but it is still a long way to prof and win public hearts & mines in Nepal by the UML and Maoist Centre factions of the Communist Party of Nepal.
Falcon Dave,
India has colonial mindset learnt from her own experiences. That mindset and behaviours are the main problems to her neighbour countries.
Heisenberg White Yeah we are small and our politics should not matter to any one. And as you said oli is a old fox. Let me remind you one thing about modi’s India, the biggest diplomatic mistake he eventually made was to implement the blockade of 2015.. we know how much we suffered but it was Oli who went to china to sign the trade treaty and eventually India was afraid that what if nepal turns to china! He was our hero Oli. About small and insignificant counrty Nepal.. let me bet with you that with in 20 years of time power hungry India will ask for our uranium and electricity and then we will see, who becomes signifiacnt..
Heisenberg White and let me tell you there is a saying in hindi "Chane ke jhad par chadna" means you guys came to the power so fast that you think you are the boss of every where. And the attitude of yours is the problem of India and Indians every where. You guys follow the foreign policiy of 15th century i.e. land hungry foreign policy.. and this wont work in this era. Thus India is not liked by any country in the region.
Hello india..you r too late the hero
.
Does Atimes talk on behalf of Indian Chauvists ?
Thank for the support. Bangladesh was the 1st country to speak against the Blockade.
Dude I thought Aaj Tak, Zee News etc etc were Indian news Networks.
Ken Nguyen, no I am not confused. China is wanting to expand its influence, look at the South China Sea, Spratley Islands. This is not historic, this is aggression. Be aware Ken.
Heisenberg White this is correct and Nepal will lose big time, like Tibet, if China gets its greedy mits on Nepal.
In its own way, China is also a Capitalist Communist state. The two notions cannot really coexist and that is why China must make a big fuss about international affairs, to try and distract Chinese people from the corruption inside China.
As if the Communists in China are not CAPTALIST!
THE CHINESE ARE THOROUGHLY CAPITALIST IN EVERY CONCEIVABLE WAY !
Are you right and Nepal and India old relationship .Both country are inter connected
Heisenberg White yes..sure..India never allows a neighbor to adopt an independent foreign policy…ìt has to agree to a satellite status. But now it is time for Rogues in Delhi to realize new international realities.
The choice is clear. Why wallow in poverty when there is every opportunity to improve the life of Nepalese by pivotingtowards China?
Thank you friend from Bangladesh.
the amazing thing to me about Nepal’s govt. is the fact that of the billions given to Nepal by the International community after the earthquakes, almost nothing trickled down to help the people affected re-build, .. ?