PM’s emphasis on India-Nepal links came against the backdrop of China making inroads into the Himalayan nation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Nepal that ended Saturday, within weeks of Nepalese Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli’s visit to India, seems have put ties—strained by India’s opposition to the 2015 Nepalese constitution— back on a sound footing.

Modi’s emphasis on culture, democracy and development was aimed at reaching out to the Nepalese people as well as politicians, underlining the vast commonalities between the two countries, against the backdrop of India’s strategic rival China making deep inroads into Nepal.

“Countering hard power by projecting soft power: In contrast to China’s efforts to muscle its way into Nepal, Modi’s current, well-received visit to the Himalayan nation seeks to emphasize India’s historically close cultural, religious, and people-to-people relations with Nepal,” said Brahma Chellaney, analyst with the New Delhi-based Centre for Policy Research think tank in a Twitter post.

After starting on a high note in 2014, helped substantially by Modi’s two visits to Kathmandu that year, ties deteriorated sharply in 2015 when Nepal put out its draft constitution that seemed to give extensive political privileges to the ruling hill tribes than to the Madhesis, Tharus and Janjatis seen as the main communities in the plains.

With Oli back in power in 2018 backed by a large majority, the Modi government’s outreach to the new government in Nepal was quick — announcing new connectivity and development projects. But the trust deficit was seen as high—with Oli making pointed references to it as well as on “mutual respect.”

Seemingly mindful of these concerns, Modi’s speeches in Nepal during his visit emphasized the cultural and economic links between India and Nepal besides paying tributes to Nepal’s election process held under the provisions of the 2015 constitution.

“Nepal has covered a long journey from (civil) war to peace .... You have reached the base camp of Mount Everest and the main climb is yet to be done. As the Sherpas help mountaineers to reach the top of the Everest, India is ready to help Nepal like a Sherpa,”Modi said. S

 Elizabeth Roche elizabeth.r@livemint.com NEW DELHI

Courtesy: Mint-14052018