Whenever I read something about Nepal it always appears to me a "clash of titans". Two heavy weights, INDIA and CHINA fighting behind the smoke screen to build influence on the small Himalayan country.
India always had an upper hand in this fight because of its deeply rooted religious ties. Most of Nepal’s leaders have had some or the other connection with India. A Treaty signed in 1950s gave a formal face to the long relations between the two countries; this not only helped India in securing its borders from the Hungary Dragon but also defined Nepal’s political and economic future.
India suddenly woke up in 2008 when Nepal underwent a political turmoil, realising that China had played its game and India’s influence was under danger. The new Maoist PM was sworn-in and talks of equality in relation with India were in the air. Maoist (read China) had already played a very intelligent game.
This new era of the clash of titans was actually stared back in 2001 when the royal massacre took place and Prince Gyanendra was made the king of the Himalayan kingdom, and that’s were China started its war against India to gain influence on Nepal.
As a full proof strategy, which Maoists had already standardised in India In 60s and 70s, of targeting poor and the youth. It first filled the mind of Nepalese youth with an anti-India pseudo-nationalism then poured in the so called revolutionary ideas of social justice and nationalism. And finally country was pushed into Maoist’s insurgency. Then the final trump card was played by pushing the country to end the 200 years old monarchy and hold a so called free democratic process. At this point very strategically Maoists joined the main stream democratic process. All this while Indian Intelligence agencies horribly failed to take proper account of the situation, being well assured of its influence on Nepal. Finally Maoists won the election and new PM Prachanda soon after joining the top office made his first international visit to China. This sent policy-makers in Delhi into a tailspin and alarmed India went into a major damage control. Finally recently Indian attempt succeeded after the Maoist PM resigned. But the war of the influence by the two biggies doesn’t seem to get over soon. With a new PM elected by the Nepalese parliament adds up a new chapter in this story.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
"Nepal" a clash of titans
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
The India's relations with its neighbours is being tested. That is true with Nepal as well as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Pakistan is apoptosing... so to speak. China looks like it'll try and meddle with the affairs of this chaotic, quarrelsome South Asian Family of Nations at every opportunity. I guess the way about this would be to work and develop together with our neighbour. Strong commerical and infrastural collaborations can make South Asia a power block in itself. But this is of course fantastic and wishful thinking.
Although, I hope the turn of events will feed a lot more of such alert and keenly observative blogs :)
dhanno what you are suggested is a very idealistic thing. but i think all this is not practical since the great GAME THEORY plays a major role here. since India being the biggest and most influential all others suffers from prisoner`s dilemma. and that is what china is cashing on. China being such a big production base need a market so its trying to increase its influence in south Asian countries .
Post a Comment