KATHMANDU: Former Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has described the BRICS summit held in New Delhi and the bilateral meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit as positive developments, urging Nepal to adopt a strategy that allows it to benefit from the evolving relations between its two neighbours.
Sharing his views on social media, Bhattarai said Nepal should move away from the traditional approach of exploiting differences between India and China to serve short-term political interests.
“We must learn from the mistakes of our rulers who sought to advance their temporary power interests by playing on the distance between India and China and ultimately kept the country trapped in a cycle of underdevelopment and dependence,” he said.
Dr. Bhattarai argued that Nepal, as a least developed country undergoing a prolonged political transition, should now pursue a forward-looking policy aimed at deriving maximum benefit from the changing dynamics between its two immediate neighbours.
He said China’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations from a long-term and strategic perspective, along with the 140-point declaration adopted under India’s leadership, could provide Nepal with opportunities in multiple areas.
Bhattarai stressed that Nepal should seek to establish itself as a “dynamic bridge” between India and China and work towards becoming a “peaceful nation” through skilful diplomacy.
He said Nepal could benefit from growing competition as well as cooperation between the two major powers by maintaining a balanced and pragmatic foreign policy. He also urged the country’s current political leadership to recognise the emerging opportunities and adjust Nepal’s diplomatic strategy accordingly.
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