Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is on a six-day state visit to India, made a strong pitch in New Delhi on Monday for a results-oriented partnership with both India and China, Nepal’s immediate neighbours.

Addressing a gathering of the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), Prime Minister Oli said that Nepal wants to take advantage from the two fastest growing economies. Mindful of the sensitivities, Oli was quick to offer assurances that Nepal’s soil will not be used against any of its neighbours.

The prime minister also said that Nepal had no intention of playing the India or China card. “We at times hear from certain quarters that Nepal uses that or this ‘card’ vis-à-vis its relations with neighbours. Such perceptions have no basis. There is no question of aligning with one or the other. We can’t do it and for us it is not a viable policy option either,” PM Oli said.

Oli is preparing to leave for China on an official visit later where he is also expected to discuss a range of issues with the Chinese leadership.

“As a neighbour, we have and will continue to have good relations with both based on their own merits and one is not comparable to the other. What we see rather is India and China coming together—be it in ever expanding bilateral trade or in multilateral negotiations on critical global issues like climate change,” PM Oli said.

He also defended Nepal’s new constitution, stating that he was ready to listen to the parties opposed to some of its provisions.  

“The main mission of my visit was to clear misunderstandings that surfaced in the past few months and to take back our relations to the same level of enthusiasm when Modiji [Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi] visited Nepal in August 2014,” he said.

Oli was delivering the 21st Sapru House Lecture at the ICWA where Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa and Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj were also present. Swaraj described Nepal-India relations as historic, characterised by emotional bonds rather than just geographical proximity.

“I congratulate their [Nepal’s] political leadership for showing maturity in difficult circumstances [post-quake]. They said that it was time to create the constitution all the more and the political leadership came together and did so,” she said. “But a few issues cropped up. Madhesis thought they have received less than expected political representation. But I want to reiterate my gratitude to the Nepali political leadership that taking their [Madhesis’] demand as legitimate, they passed two amendments under the leadership of Sushil Koirala.”

She added the Oli government had “bettered” those amendments and passed them. She hoped that the “political mechanism” put in place by the Oli government would address the remaining concerns of the Madhesi community and praised him for engaging them in a dialogue.

“This is the power of democracy that we resolve our issues through political dialogue.”

Swaraj stated that “few people” who do not want good bilateral relations between the two countries say that India maintains a “big brother” attitude towards Nepal. “The Hindi meaning of big brother is elder brother. But the construct of big brother is a western one. Its Indian translation is elder brother. We view it from a different perspective.

“Big brother is egotist whereas elder brother shows concern. Elder brother tries to assist you in solving your problems. India is that elder brother who will never become the cause of your difficulties and will assist you. I welcome you as the elder sister of that elder brother,” she said.

DPM Thapa, who also addressed the gathering, said the main purpose of PM Oli’s visit was to clear the air of mistrust and misunderstanding that had overshadowed bilateral ties in the past few months. He said a new phase in India-Nepal relations had begun.

Oli meets Doval, energy state minister

KATHMANDU: National Security Adviser of India Ajit Doval met visiting Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at Rastrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on Monday.

Doval discussed the freshly signed agreements between the two counties. PM Oli noted that relations between the two countries had been cordial, in a turn from months of frosty ties.

Earlier in the day, Indian State Minister for Power Piyush Goyal met PM Oli at the official residence of Indian president. “We are ready to provide additional 600MW energy to Nepal within six months,” said Goyal, adding India was ready to work with Nepal to develop hydropower. (PR)