Considering decades of bonhomie, Nepal would do well to embrace India and shun Chinese lies
The 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship between India and Nepal had one very strong element — mutual respect for the sovereignty and integrity of each other. With 70 years gone, the treaty has proved to be a milestone in bringing India and Nepal closer. However, the same treaty has time and again got the two neighbours face to face on certain issues. Does this make the bilateral relations strained? Probably not. It is because the present nature of India-Nepal relations is merely seen through the lens of politics. Understandably, Nepal stands very critical to geostrategic rivalry and competition between India and China, and often its location surpasses all other considerations. Yet, people-to-people ties between India and Nepal have stood firm. Further, the political instability in Nepal requires a people-centric approach. While the borders across South Asia are contested, such as India-Pakistan and India-China, India shares an open border with Nepal. Despite the large scale of risks involved, India has supported the idea that it is a gateway to people, culture and civilisation. By bringing these factors into account, the heated moments in India-Nepal relations may see an immediate resolution.
Meanwhile, there is another narrowed aspect of seeing the India-Nepal relations through the prism of social media. The hashtags #GoBackIndia #BackOffIndia during the 2015 earthquake and border disputes in the last two years were seen as defining moments that weaken the bond. However, if social media were to result in India-Nepal relations, China would be the only player in Nepal considering alleged paid pro-China social media campaigns. To date, Nepal has a vast digital divide. While affording high-speed internet is still a challenge, access to smart phones in southern Nepal (Madhesh) is yet to meet national parity. Therefore, India’s longstanding people-to-people ties, especially those between India’s Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and Nepal’s Madhesh region, are a testimony to the brighter side. On the other hand, the looming hype of the rising status of China in Nepal has its proven short-term validity. Chinese interests in Nepal are primarily focused on handling pro-Tibet voices, encroaching Nepalese territory for an extended strategic depth and leasing out critical areas of interests within Nepal. To achieve these, China has one tool: fabricated facts, lies and social media manoeuvring.