Indian President’s Nepal visit
Indian President Pranab Mukherjee is in Nepal for a three-day state visit. It is rather unfortunate that it took 18 years for an Indian president to visit one of its closest neighbors. The last head of state from India to visit Nepal was President K R Narayanan in 1998. President Mukherjee arrives in Nepal at a time when relations between the two countries have suffered, and people are venting anger on social media, recalling Indian economic blockade following the promulgation of the new constitution last year.
Kathmandu has been paralyzed, barring people to walk on sidewalks during the president’s movements around the city. The government’s decision to grant a holiday also drew strong reaction from the public. For sure, this episode also calls for a wider introspection on managing the city during VVIP visits. The state should better manage high level visits without disrupting everyday life of its people. The city is breathing new air today—walls painted, roads mopped. Why is it that we need visits of foreign dignitaries to keep our house in order? Why can’t we inculcate such a habit on a daily basis? These are the questions the government needs to mull over in the days to come. Meanwhile, we extend hearty welcome to President Mukherjee.
President Mukherjee’s visit is important because he is considered a long-time friend of Nepal and has close relations with several Nepali leaders, including Prime Minister Prachanda. Besides, he is also known to have played a key role in bringing the Maoist rebels and the parliamentary parties together to sign the historic 12-point agreement in 2005 which laid the groundwork to end the decade-long conflict. Thus it can be hoped that his visit can be a step towards mending ties between the two countries after the blockade and Indian objections on Nepali constitution. His visit is also expected to build greater trust between Nepal and India. If India wants to take Nepal together on its regional aspirations, Nepal stands ready to be a constructive partner. However, Nepal-India relations should never come at a cost of our relations with other powers, especially China, for our prosperity is closely linked with the shared prosperity of the region.
President Mukherjee will be visiting key religious sites in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Janakpur. While this will help boost the cultural ties between the two nations, it will also positively contribute towards tourism promotion of the country. But the visit must not be limited to gestures. Nepal should use the opportunity to highlight common areas of cooperation, including tourism, and begin an earnest effort to develop synergy on economic fronts. Our hope is that President Mukherjee can be an important catalyst in New Delhi to steer its Nepal policy towards economic connectivity, cooperation and mutual respect. It is indeed a pleasure to welcome the head of state India, our closest neighbor. We hope this visit will lay a new foundation for high level engagement between the two countries and take our bilateral relation to a greater height.
Kanchan Sharma Regmi
