Prosperous Nepal and its neighbors

China, Nepal, and India have not adequately been able to grasp the spectrum of geopolitical strategy applied in Nepal by the western powers. The leadership and the think tanks, including the strategic stakeholders in all the three countries have failed to understand the strategic maneuvers hence applied. Thus, offering foreign agencies an unrestricted and unhinged ground of play. China’s think tank made a mistake by simply believing that Nepal’s political instability was an outcome of its internal political crisis.

The reality is that western foreign agencies are the major players in Nepal’s unending political chaos and instability. India being mystified by western strategic maneuvers has failed to see the truth. Engaged in macro management of Nepal’s political affairs it has failed to understand the latent truth behind the intention of the western power blocks. Under the illusion of western power blocks, India is seeing western power blocks active in Nepal as being beneficial to them and only targeted against China’s encirclement and containment.

In fact, unending series of political instability in Nepal has gone unchecked since it is not understood as being the double containment strategy opted by the western power blocks primarily because of the reasons that shall be elaborated below.

This has remained a grave mistake on part of India since the west is equally active in fragmenting the Indian cultural life as its important strategy. In addition, India is not beyond the sphere of Western power bloc’s containment strategy since it has a lively relation with Iran and Russia.

In fact, unending series of political instability in Nepal has gone unchecked since it is not understood as being the double containment strategy opted by the western power blocks primarily because of the reasons that shall be elaborated below.

From the 1960s, Nepal was employed in the Western strategy of disturbing Tibet by providing financial and other strategic support to Tibetan fugitives. Nepal worked boldly to suppress Khumpa attacks in Tibet using Nepal’s territory. This action of Nepal was costly.

Through its ability to keep India silent on Western intrusion and containment game against China, Nepal has been a safe haven for the Western blocks. In reality, its strategic activities against China subtle adverse impacts in India. It implies that Nepal alone is not the victim of the fallout.

China was sympathetic to Nepal but missed to foresee the fallout Nepal was to face in the days to come. China’s think-tanks had limited communication with Nepalese counterparts. Further, the Nepalese counterpart was unyielding as a significant part of it was infested by those people who deceptively served the Western interest. The situation has not fully improved even today.

India mystified with the strategy opted by the western power block has remained busy with the policy of micro-management of internal affairs of Nepal. With this policy orientation, it has failed to see the consequences of the containment strategy opted by the west upon itself. Any kind of intrusion of the West in Nepal negatively affecting the interest of China is welcomed by India. However, the very act is even detrimental to India in the long run.

Through its ability to keep India silent on Western intrusion and containment game against China, Nepal has been a safe haven for the Western blocks. In reality, its strategic activities against China subtle adverse impacts in India. It implies that Nepal alone is not the victim of the fallout.

Nepalese leaders seem unaware of this game. A huge mass of Nepalese intellectuals and relatives of Nepalese leaders and bureaucrats have migrated to the Western countries, thus forming a strong Diaspora. Nepalese policies are influenced by this Diaspora.

Think tanks and strategic stakeholders in China, India, and Nepal have failed to understand the connected dynamics between Nepal’s political instability and containment strategy opted by the west.

There are solution measures to the double containment strategy opted by the west upon China and India through Nepal, and the resulting political instability and languishing state of underdevelopment. The first is that Nepal should be able to convince both China and India to help it uplift from the languished situation of underdevelopment.

Nepal and China can jointly take the confidence of India in assuring that there is no negative impact through Nepal’s economic ties with China. This can be done by enhancing connectivity and dialogue among intellectuals, students, journalists and think-tanks of three countries.

These problems can be sorted out successfully through increased communication between think-tanks and through a connection at people to people level. China must be able to select credible people and institutions to promote the strategy for application of BRI in Nepal.

China, India, and Nepal must break the mystified perspective of insecurity through an effective trilateral relation. BRI could be the right platform for that purpose. However, little has been done to clarify the misconception of Indian intellectuals in regards to BRI. Nepalese intellectuals can facilitate in doing away with the confusion between China and India.

China, India, and Nepal need to come together in an effective manner if the double containment strategy is to be countered meaningfully. India must give up the fear psyche it has in making economic ties with China through Nepal. The Himalayan corridor can be an effective way out, and this idea can be promoted by initiating projects between China and Nepal. Nepal’s bureaucratic unpreparedness and political indecisiveness are major hurdles in this regard.

These problems can be sorted out successfully through increased communication between think-tanks and through a connection at people to people level. China must be able to select credible people and institutions to promote the strategy for application of BRI in Nepal.

The two civilizations-India and China-can stand side by side yijein harmony. These two countries historically have had mutually learned to respect each other and avoid wars. They are heavily influenced by each other’s knowledge and traditions.

Their scholars visited each other’s country in the past which is exemplified by the account of Chinese Monk, Fi Xian. He was the first one to visit Nepal and India during the 4th century. The harmonious co-existence and mutual respect they have towards their civilizations in history are unique and idiosyncratic in nature. Hence, there is no reason for them to perceive each other as threats. In the 7th century, Nepal had rescued Wang Xuance’s mission visiting Maghad from the ill-treatment of a dissident general there.

For this, the Trans-Himalayan economic corridor between China, India, and Nepal will be a quintessential foundation. Belt and road initiative (BRI) is, therefore, a massive opportunity in this context. BRI is an opportunity for Nepal’s economic development.

Nepal learned to produce paper and made it an exportable commodity. Nepal and China have been dependable friends for the past 1600 years. Any existing problems in the coeval situation between India and China is a game designed by outsiders. The relation between India and China are not merely diplomatic in nature but rather of cultural and civilizational connectivity. Hence the fear psyche of each other being termed as threats is hollow. If this misperception persists it may jeopardize the flourishing economic development of Asia and darken the prospect of Asia becoming an economic hub.

Increased economic cooperation is a prelude to fostering political trust between India and China. This will, in turn, lead to a conducive environment in ending their political problems such as border disputes. Gradually, China, India, Nepal and South Asia as a whole can be strong enough to successfully tackle with the containment strategy opted by western power blocks by promoting partnership in economic development through increased connectivity.

For this, the Trans-Himalayan economic corridor between China, India, and Nepal will be a quintessential foundation. Belt and road initiative (BRI) is, therefore, a massive opportunity in this context. BRI is an opportunity for Nepal’s economic development.

The Trans-Himalayan economic corridor would be a reliable rescuer of Nepal from the current unbecoming situation of political and economic instability. It would thus frustrate the double containment strategy opted by the west through Nepal upon China and India and would support Nepal in transforming from the so-called ‘yam’ between China and India, to a bridge between the two prospective superpowers.