Did Nepal snub India for China with military drill decision, or is it just a nation in flux?
Kathmandu’s withdrawal from BIMSTEC exercises more likely to do with parliamentary power plays than a sign of allegiance, observers say
Nepal’s last minute decision to withdraw from India-led regional military drills is indicative of the struggle facing the South Asian nation’s new government as it tries to strike a balance in its relations with India and China, diplomatic observers said.
Sandwiched between the world’s two most populous countries, Nepal is in the early stages of a new democracy and while there might have been some suggestions of a political move towards Beijing and away from New Delhi, its new leaders appear yet to have found their feet.
Sworn in in February, the ruling party is a coalition of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist- Leninist) and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), and headed by Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli. In his previous election campaign in 2015, Oli was outspoken about his desire to increase ties with China reduce Nepal’s dependence on India.
Kathmandu had initially agreed to take part in the inaugural Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)’s first ever joint military drills alongside its six fellow members (namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand). But the decision was questioned in parliament on September 5, with lawmakers saying Nepal would not join any military alliance.
Oli’s press adviser Kundan Aryal was quoted by Xinhua last week as saying that Nepal would not join the drill, while the prime minister himself told India’s ambassador to Kathmandu that Nepal was unable to participate due to “internal political pressure”, according to a Hindustan Times report.
The seven days of exercises got under way in India on Monday and end on Sunday.
In contrast, Nepal confirmed it would take part in Sagarmatha Friendship-2 joint exercise with China, which starts on Monday in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan and runs through September 28. The exercise, aimed at improving disaster management and counterterrorism, was last held in April last year.