New Delhi: India and Nepal can realise the full potential of their bilateral ties when some of the “issues left by history” is addressed by the two sides, Nepal’s former prime minister Pushpa Kumar Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said.
The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) chairman said this during his three-day visit which came to a close Sunday afternoon. The senior Nepali leader had arrived on the invitation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president J. P. Nadda.
During the visit, Dahal raised the issue of border demarcation and Kathmandu’s long-pending demand of reviewing the India-Nepal 1950 Friendship Treaty.
“There are some issues left by history that need to be addressed in good faith to fully realise the full potential of Nepal-India relations and cooperation. The matters related to the 1950 Treaty, boundary and EPG (Eminent Persons’ Group) report need to be resolved through diplomatic efforts and dialogue. In the spirit of good neighbourliness, we can make our relations problem-free,” Dahal said at an event Saturday.
“The commonalities between Nepal and India and extent of engagements have created a synergy for a robust interdependence. We must capitalise on these enablers to ensure that the cooperation bears fruits for people of both countries. Goodwill, trust, understanding, equality, mutual respect and benefit should continue to underpin our relationship,” he added.
Nepal had also been urging India to adopt a report given by the EPG, that recommended a review of the bilateral ties in all aspects of the relationship.
Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba had also raised these issues during his visit in April this year. The EPG report also recommends the review of the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship.
In his meetings with Nadda, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Dahal batted for Nepal-India Joint Vision Statement on power sector cooperation, which was issued during PM Deuba’s visit.
“Based on it, a long-term approach in joint development of hydropower and seamless power trade will unleash further economic potentials between Nepal and India. Cross-border transmission infrastructure is being strengthened with new and upgraded transmissions lines. The potential for power trading between two countries is ever growing,” Dahal said.
He also said that the quantum of hydropower export from Nepal to India has increased to 364 Megawatts. “Nepal is eager to welcome more investment from Indian investors and private sectors in hydropower.”
The communist leader also urged for seamless connectivity between both sides. “Nepal and India are working for greater cooperation in different large projects, including Integrated Check Post (ICP) and Rail links. Railway link with India is being scaled up. Passenger services in Jayanagar-Kurtha railway have resumed, connecting Nepal with the Indian railway network,” he said.
“We are expecting India’s favourable response to our request for additional air entry points as we expand the network of international/regional airports in Nepal.”
According to External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, who also met Dahal separately, both sides discussed ways to enhance economic cooperation.
“A productive discussion on strengthening our neighbourly relationship with a focus on economic cooperation … India will remain a steadfast partner of Nepal in its quest for progress and prosperity,” Jaishankar said in a tweet.
Pleased to welcome @cmprachanda to India on his visit at the invitation of BJP President @JPNadda ji.
A productive discussion on strengthening our neighbourly relationship with a focus on economic cooperation. pic.twitter.com/GDA6G9cBff
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 16, 2022
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Enhancing party-to-party cooperation
Nadda and Prachanda held talks on Sunday on how to have more interaction at the party-level in future and to enhance party-to-party cooperation.
Vijay Chauthaiwale, BJP’s foreign affairs department in-charge, said Nadda told Prachanda that such political dialogues are important and “meetings like these should continue in future”.
“Nadda ji said that Nepal is at the centre of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’ and that India will continue to support Nepal in every way,” he said.
“Prachanda said that there might be ideological differences between the two political parties but the main goal of both the parties is the same, which is to help the downtrodden and the weaker sections of the society. In that sense, Prachanda pointed out that there are similarities between the two. He also said that there is so much to learn from India and how it has progressed under PM Modi,” Chauthaiwale added.
Today Shri @cmprachanda ji visited BJP HQ to meet Party President Shri @JPNadda ji. Both the leaders have warm exchange of information and views about bilateral relations. Shri Nadda ji elaborated to him structure of the party and also informed him about new party HQ. pic.twitter.com/kjED7erW01
— Dr Vijay Chauthaiwale (@vijai63) July 17, 2022
Prachanda was also keen to know about the journey of the BJP and how its membership has reached 17-18 crore, he said.
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Meeting with PM Modi did not happen
Prachanda, who shares a good rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was keen to meet the PM but it got cancelled at the “last moment”, sources told ThePrint.
According to the sources, the meeting with the PM was not supposed to take place and there was no commitment over this from India. “We had made it clear that it was a political invitation from the BJP party president and a meeting with the PM would not have been appropriate,” said a party source.
Prachanda, a two-time Prime Minister, enjoys close and personal ties with political leaders in India, which has traditionally supported the ruling Nepali Congress.
Meanwhile, as the political situation in Kathmandu remains vulnerable, China is actively working towards uniting the reviving the erstwhile Nepal Communist Party (NCP) which was created by bringing together former prime minister K. P. Sharma Oli of the CPN-UML and Prachanda of the CPN (Maoist Center).
Day before coming to India, Prachanda met representatives of a high-level Chinese delegation led by Liu Jianchao, head of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
Apart from making efforts to unite the sparring Nepali communist parties, Beijing also sought to mend ties with the NC this time and indicated strengthening of communication between them.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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