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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Nepal early this month was lauded by many in both countries. From touching the hearts of the people of Nepal to making big-ticket announcements such as a large credit line to that country, Modi’s visit was hailed as a success. Experts, however, warn that delivering on his promises will remain a challenge when Modi visits the Himalayan country again in November this year.
During his two-day visit to Nepal, Modi was able to touch the right chord with the people there across the region. Incidentally, this was the first ever bilateral visit by an Indian PM in the past 17 years and Modi was able to thaw the relationship with a personal touch.
“Implementation of large-scale projects remained stalled in Nepal mainly because of the political instability there. From 2004 onwards, a period of political uncertainty had been continuing in Nepal,” said Rakesh Sood, former Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan, Nepal and France, at a seminar organised by the Observer Research Foundation.
During the visit, Modi even the addressed the Constituent Assembly and Legislature Parliament of Nepal besides announcing a $1-billion line of credit for Nepal’s infrastructure development. According to the joint statement issued, India and Nepal agreed to implement large-scale projects such as the 5,600-Mw Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project on the Mahakali River and Karnali hydropower project.
“We have been very tardy in implementing the projects in Nepal, as we are even domestically. We have to follow different models of project implementation for different countries. The best way to go forward will be to get on the run on the river projects,” said Jayant Prasad, former Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan and Nepal.
Modi has assured Nepal to assist in the construction of a multi-lane motorable bridge over Mahakali River at Mahendranagar, which will allow traffic along the East West Highway to cross over the Mahakali River and establish a vital trade and transit linkage of far western region of Nepal with Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi.
The Indian side also conveyed to consider construction of motorable bridges at the border points at Jhulaghat and Darchula.
Both the experts also agreed that Nepal should be left on its own whether it wants to revise the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1950.
“India has been saying the same thing and the language is the same in every joint statement issued. But none of the Nepalese governments has ever revised it. India had also been lazy to take it up seriously with Nepal,” said Sood.
According to Prasad, although the treaty entails granting equal treatment to Indian citizens in Nepal, it never happened while citizens of Nepal continue to enjoy national treatment here.
On the issue of Nepal creating its own Constitution, experts believed it should be left to it as it was an internal matter. However, they felt India should guide them accordingly.
“It will take six to eight months for Nepal to build its own Constitution. Political parties in Nepal need a voice now. They have to be part of the Constitution making process,” said Prasad.
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