With Oli out, New Delhi pushes fast for rapprochement in Kathmandu to counter security risks

New Delhi: Calm returned to Nepal with the swearing in of a new interim Prime Minister, Shushila Karki, who is also the former Chief Justice of the country. Violent protests had broken out in Nepal following an agitation by Gen Z, which eventually led to Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and dozens of ministers resigning.

Many had expected the crisis to drag on, but there was a firm message from President Ramchandra Paudel and Nepal’s army chief, General Ashok Raj Sigdel. The President had written to the representatives of Gen Z that a leader must be appointed soon, and they had to decide immediately on it. The President also said that upholding the Constitution was supreme, and hence, normalcy must be restored. He also told them not to delay the process of picking a leader and then later blame him for the delay or possible chaos that may erupt.

With the leadership change, India will now play a more visible role in Nepal. Officials say that the diplomatic reset is all ready to take place, and New Delhi is hopeful that Sushila Karki will be easier to deal with compared to Oli.

The key for India would be to move quickly and reset ties. The Gen Z must be made aware of Nepal’s relations with India, and hence, the need for more visible support becomes the need of the hour, officials say.

Under Oli, who was close to China, the narrative he had built up was mostly anti-India. New Delhi is aware that the Chinese have been engaging a lot with Nepal in recent years. This would be the best time for India to change an anti-India perception in Nepal, and hence, the need to engage quickly and forge better ties with the leadership is important.

While ties with Nepal are historic, there has been a bit of a falling out in recent years. Having solid ties with Nepal is crucial not just on the diplomatic front, but from a security point of view as well. The Intelligence agencies say that any form of instability in Nepal has a direct bearing on the security situation in India. The ISI, which has used the Nepal route into India on several occasions, would thrive if there is instability. Such a situation becomes a security nightmare as the agencies in Nepal would be busier with controlling the internal unrest rather than focusing more on the border. This would put the onus entirely on the Indian agencies, and it is harder to manage the border when the other side is busy with internal strife, security officials say. With a new leadership, India would look to address these issues and also speed up border projects, which would be in the interest of both nations.

Karki may not have political experience, but she has a solid reputation for being completely anti-corruption. Given the current situation in Nepal, foreign diplomacy may not be her utmost priority for now. Her priority would be to restore complete normalcy and then plan the political course her country would have to take.

Indian officials say that they are confident that ties under her would improve. She is aware of the historic ties the two nations share and India’s role in helping Nepal on several occasions.

Karki also has an Indian connection. While at the Banaras Hindu University at Varanasi, she met with Durga Prasad Subedi, who later went on to become her husband. Subedi, who was part of the Nepal Congress, had played a role in the dramatic hijacking of a domestic Nepal Airlines flight on June 10, 1973. The plane was carrying 4 million Nepalese Rupees. The plane was forced to land in Forbesganj in Bihar, and the money was offloaded. No one was hurt in the incident.

The money was handed over to Girija Prasad Koirala, who was waiting on the Indian side of the border. The money was used to buy arms for the Nepali Congress’s armed struggle against the monarchy. Koirala went on to become a four-time prime minister of Nepal.

IANS