Geopolitical Reflections of Sino-Indian Conflict and Its
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UNITY JOURNAL Volume II, February 2021 Geopolitical Refl ections of Sino-Indian Confl ict and its Implication on Nepal’s Survival Strategy Gaurav Bhattarai Abstract the geopolitical expression of Sino-Indian confl ict in Nepal, this study reviews India’s Border disputes between China and India in perception of Nepal-China relations, and June 2020 almost lead South Asian countries China’s perception of Nepal-India relations. to take a side. But, Nepal, situated between Also, the reports and the press releases of the India and China, has always expressed a Ministry of Foreign Aff airs, historical facts, stern belief in neutrality and non-alignment. treaties, government reports and decisions Even though New Delhi doubted Nepal’s have been studied and analyzed. Media neutrality and non-alignment citing China’s sources are also reviewed to understand growing footprints in Nepal, Kathmandu the diverse narratives produced on the reckoned such suspicion as the result of a new geopolitical refl ection of Sino-Indian confl ict. map row between two countries connected by The themes that emerged from the reviews open borders. While Nepal’s repeated calls are thematically analyzed and interpreted, to diplomatically resolve India-Nepal border to discover that cultivating relations with problems remained unheeded by New Delhi, one country at the expense of the other may it provided room for the ruling communist be counterproductive to Nepal’s survival party in Nepal to reap geopolitical benefi ts strategies. out of the Sino-Indian dispute. But, interestingly, such geopolitical benefi ts Keywords: Geopolitical Refl ection, Nepal, are usually targeted in tempering Indian Sino-Indian Confl ict, Survival Strategy infl uence in Nepal, by getting closer with China. Apprehending the same, this study Introduction aims to assess the geopolitical implication of In June 2020, the border skirmishes Sino-Indian confl ict on the survival strategy between China and India almost generated of Nepal. To fulfi ll the same objectives, the an obligatory environment for the South Chinese perception of Nepal-India relations, Asian countries to take a side (Zheng, and Indian perception of Sino-Nepal ties 2020). Although Nepal’s foreign policy has have been critically assessed in this study. been driven by unyielding belief in non- This study is methodologically based on the alignment and neutrality (Ghimire, 2020), information collected from the secondary India mistrusted Nepal’s neutrality alluding sources. In order to critically evaluate China’s growing interest in Nepal (Gupta, 81 UNITY JOURNAL Volume II, February 2021 2020). But, Kathmandu deemed such mistrust The survival strategy of Nepal shouldn’t be as the upshot of a new map row between merely understood as a geo-political ambition two countries linked by the open borders directing the country’s foreign policy, while (The Times of India, 2020). Also, Nepal’s the two neighbors are engaged in confl ict. recurrent calls to diplomatically resolve Lack of meticulous diplomacy from Nepal’s India-Nepal border problems (Republica, side may also generate misperception in the 2020) are overlooked by New Delhi. Thus, psyche of neighbors. When a virtual meeting the geopolitical refl ections on Sino-India between the communist parties of Nepal and confl ict in Nepal, today, concentrates on China was organized by Nepal Communist how India’s reluctance has provided space Party’s (NCP) School Department on June for the ruling communist party in Nepal to 19, 2020, Indian media cynically interpreted reap geopolitical benefi ts out of the Sino- Nepal’s healthy bilateral ties with China Indian dispute (Giri, 2020a). Remarkably, by as anti-Indian. Actually, two communist getting closer with China, such geo-political parties had the virtual meeting while the benefi ts are mostly targeted in mitigating bilateral relations between India and China Indian infl uence in Nepal. Nepal’s endeavors had worsened because of border skirmishes for trade diversifi cation, along with the and scuffl es leading to a violent clash along rail projects with China, were also the the disputed border in Ladakh. The virtual result of burgeoning discomfort with New meeting coincided with re-ignition of Nepal- Delhi (Sangraula, 2019). Such geopolitical India border disputes, which not only made refl ections emanating from the Sino-India India cast doubt over Nepal’s neutrality, but dispute is not a new phenomenon in Nepal, also provided an apt opportunity for Indian however. In 1962, when India and China media to endorse the Indian army chief’s went to war, there were comments in the press remarks: “Nepal is acting on the behest of arguing that the war was to Nepal’s advantage. someone” (The Wire, 2020). Although the Although Nepal remained uninvolved, meeting was scheduled long before the clash Nepal’s neutrality was disparaged in the between Indian and Chinese troops on June Indian media as anti-Indian and pro-Chinese 15, 2020, the timing was not suitable. Such (Khanal, 2000, p. iii). Still, Nepal has always an avertible geopolitical ambitions drew been balancing both the neighbors with its widespread criticism, not only in New Delhi, foreign policy of neutrality, non-alignment but also in Kathmandu. Foreign policy experts and equidistance, which are also understood and security analysts were heard posing as the survival strategies of the small states the questions like: whether the Sino-Indian in dealing with the anarchic international dispute merely boosts Nepal’s geopolitical system. But, with the Sino-Indian confl ict, drive, or is it disastrous for countries like and its inescapable geopolitical implications, Nepal aspiring to bridge two economic giants. often such strategies have to undergo a India’s spectacular economic performance severe trial. Thus, the aim of this study is and China’s unrivalled development has to investigate how the geopolitical upshots of always given a hope of spillover eff ects to Sino-Indian Confl ict have impacted Nepal’s Nepal, whose search for economic prosperity survival strategy. is dependent on its transit diplomacy (K.C. & Bhattarai, 2018, pp. 75-96). But, quite often, the geopolitical dispute between India 82 UNITY JOURNAL Volume II, February 2021 and China prompts the spirit of geopolitical (Ganguly, 2020). To Nepal, their competition ambition in the leaderships of small states in for infl uence in South Asia remains a major South Asia, and as a result they take no less source of insecurity. Thus, fueling any time to prioritize the interest of one nuclear- thoughts in quest of geopolitical ambitions armed country against that of the other, mostly may prove more hazardous. However, it to protect their government back home, or at doesn’t mean Nepal has to always continue least to prolong their stay in power (Rose, with its conventional ‘survival’ strategy, 1971, pp. 177-207). which is driven either by the 18th century colonial narratives, or the cold-war narratives. Because of the geographical proximity, and But, most of the literature available to us, economic relations the two Asian giants have either prioritized Nepal’s geostrategic have, the relationship between them is often location, or on the possibility for Nepal to labelled as one of the most ‘electrifying’ of derive economic benefi ts from the rise of this century. (Martin, 2015). But, there are India and China. Realizing the same research certain similarities and unusual diff erences gap, this study aims to revisit the impact of in the foreign policy behaviors of India the neighborhood policies of India and China and China, particularly in dealing with the on Nepal’s survival strategy and refl ect on its small countries, like Nepal, whose position relevance amidst the changing geopolitical in international system is conditioned by dynamics in the region. either globalist, Indo-centric or isolationist approaches (Khatri, 1998, p. 12). Historically, Review of Literature Nepal has been balancing relations with its two immediate neighbors (Kissinger, 2014, Available literatures prioritizing on Nepal’s p. 197), to maximize economic growth, geostrategic importance and Nepal’s survival and sustain balanced political stability strategy can be thematically assessed by with both the neighbors. Having adopted classifying into two categories: A.) Geo- the Westphalian model, the two distinct strategic determinism (Dahal, 1998, pp. civilizational entities have been reduced to 25- 51); B.) Economic determinism (KC & geopolitical rivals, today. The communist Bhattarai, 2018, pp. 75-96). Geopolitically, system in China is depicted as a perpetual Nepal’s destiny is linked to the destiny of its threat to India – the world’s largest democracy two immediate neighbors. Both the countries – and thus a rivalry is constituted. Sino- are equally important for Nepal to enhance Indian rivalry has been a constant menace its economic performance. As the geo- to the neighboring countries like Nepal, strategic location between India and China who have been aspiring to draw benefi ts is a principal concern for Nepal’s security from the spillover eff ects of the economic and stability (Bhattarai, 2005, pp. 25-31), development in India and China, particularly the most challenging job for Nepal is to by exercising transit diplomacy (KC & maintain equidistance relations with both Bhattarai, 2018, pp. 75-96). Although India is the immediate neighbors. Exercising the perceived as a rising power, concomitantly, it foreign policy of equidistance is benefi cial has missed numerous opportunities to take its economically and geopolitically, for Nepal’s neighbors, including Nepal into confi dence, survival strategy too (Schmidt & Thapa, and has failed to lead the South Asian region 2012, p .11). 83 UNITY JOURNAL Volume II, February 2021 From the perspective of economic From the perspective of geo-strategic determinism, however, India’s enormous determinism, Gurkha recruitment in Indian economic performance and China’s army has further complicated Nepal’s unsurpassable development has always given survival strategy. At present, over 30,000 a hope of spillover eff ects to Nepal (K.C.