Page 53 - Tehelka Issue 13 - July 15, 2018

India had invested considerably in
Nepal during its tumultuous days after
the end of monarchy. Yet Kathmandu
speaks a language indicating that India
does not figure prominently in Nepal’s
schemes for rebuilding the nation.
Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma
Oli some time ago bluntly told Indian
diplomats “not to interfere in Nepal’s
internal affairs”. Contrary to this,
Nepal’s relations with China have been
on the upswing ever since the dawn of Modi’s sudden decision for a stopover • Trips abroad In 2015, Modi made 12 foreign
democracy in the Himalayan nation. at Lahore to have an informal interac- trips, spending 1.34 billion on these journeys
Perhaps, Kathmandu has become more tion with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
suspicious of India after New Delhi’s while being on his way back home after
denial of some essential supplies to Ne- participating in the India-Afghanistan going to be a major challenge for New
pal which were later on made available talks in Kabul in December 2015. Modi, Delhi in the days to come.
to it by China. perhaps, believed that a personal touch The US under President Donald
India has been facing a major to the cause of India-Pakistan relations Trump thinks that the Iranian nuclear
challenge from China in other SAARC may help in making the other side deal will only harm the American
countries too. India got an excellent op- realise that New Delhi’s style of func- interests in the West Asian region
portunity to increase its presence in Sri tioning had changed with the BJP-led and elsewhere whereas the European
Lanka when Sri Lanka Freedom Party NDA coming to power. However, the Union, Russia and China consider the
leader Mahinda Rajapaksa lost power ground reality on this front remains deal as a major step forward in promot-
in the elections there. He was too well unchanged, whatever the factors ing peace in the world. What will be
known for his pro-China stance. How- involved. India’s stand in such a scenario? Under
ever, that opportunity is yet to be fully A major achievement for the Modi the prevailing circumstances, it is not
exploited though the new President, government was seen in the sign- so easy to take a decision, but the world
Maithripala Sirisena, the main architect ing of an agreement with Iran for the will respect India if it shows courage
of Rajapaksa’s defeat, and his Prime development of Chabahar port, but that to go by the compulsions of its own
Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe are too is losing its sheen following an ac- national interests as well as the good of
very much inclined towards improving cord between Teheran and Beijing over humanity at large.
their country’s relations with India. Chabahar. The second factor that may Experts believe that India is provid-
So far as India’s ties with Bangladesh overshadow what India gained by pro- ing proof that it has gathered the ca-
are concerned, the Modi government viding assistance for Chabahar is the pacity to go by its own larger interests
has, no doubt, added a new feather US withdrawal from the international on various global or regional issues. The
to its cap by clinching a major land nuclear deal with Teheran. belief is based on how India conducted
boundary agreement with Dhaka, but With the US being no longer as- itself during the Wuhan one-on-one
China continues to be the most sought- sociated with the deal, the sanctions dialogue between Modi and Chinese
after regional power in that country. it had earlier imposed on Teheran are President Xi Jinping to end the bitter-
The Chinese presence in Bangladesh effective again and that means a lot ness in the relations between India and
is expanding fast with two special of difficulties in doing business with China following the Doklam crisis.
economic zones coming up there with Iran. Besides these factors, any country Of course, India and China have
massive Chinese assistance. There strengthening or expanding ties with serious differences over many issues,
are many other projects also in which Iran is bound to be looked at with suspi- including New Delhi’s efforts to acquire
China is closely involved in a country cion by the US. membership of the prestigious Nuclear
otherwise having a pro-India Awami Experts believe that Modi’s special Suppliers Group, yet every available
League government. interest in taking our relations with opportunity is being utilised to find a
Myanmar too has an almost similar the US to a new high has brought about way for cooperative co-existence for
story to tell. Despite the much-pub- dynamism in New Delhi’s ties with mutual gains.
licised “Neighbourhood First” policy, Washington which is expected to ben- Let us hope India will never take any
India is nowhere near China in Myan- efit India in many ways. step that may prevent it from holding
mar’s scheme of things. That may be true, but how to handle its head high in the comity of nations.
An interesting policy shift in the the situation arising out of the US
case of Pakistan was expected with decision on the Iranian nuclear deal is letters@tehelka.com

Tehelka / 15 july 2018 53 www.Tehelka.com

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