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Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli paid an official visit to China after assuming office. He broke the tradition of putting the first leg to Delhi before beginning foreign visits. In fact, after the 1990 political change, this tradition was started by the Nepali prime ministers exhibiting their loyalty to their Indian bosses. PM Oli was also keen to visit India before he visited China, however, Oli didn’t get a formal invitation from Delhi. Nevertheless, through an effort from his Foreign Minister Dr Arzu Rana, Oli was able to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New York. The meeting with Modi in New York was just a photo opportunity as that was very short and they had no serious discussion on bilateral issues. This reflects India’s displeasure with PM Oli.

Oli left for a China visit in a dismay mentality. Before his departure, the BRI became an issue of hot debate. Coalition partner Nepali Congress said that Nepal should not accept any of the debt projects from China as such debts may drag the country into a debt trap. The idea was to postpone signing on the BRI Framework. During the meeting between the alliance partners in the government, when PM Oli said that if Nepal did not sign on the BRI Framework, his visit would be meaningless. Finally, the NC-UML high-level task force constituted on the eve of Oli’s China visit, prepared a draft stating that Nepal would accept only grant projects, not debt projects under the BRI Framework. Finally, the BRI Cooperation Framework was signed and PM Oli returned home. Nevertheless, again the issue of the BRI Framework has become an issue of debate in Nepal. The UML leaders and also a section of the NC in the Deuba camp are saying that no agreement on projects under debt was inked during PM Oli’s visit. The fact is that the BRI Framework agreement has been signed and there is no need to debate on the issue. If Nepal doesn’t want any project under the Chinese debt, it is okay. There is no need to give clarification time and again. If Nepal wants to keep the BRI Framework pending, it is okay. However, the feared psychology among the political leaders is that India and the West will become unhappy with them, they are clarifying that they didn’t sign the BRI Framework.

The thinking of our leaders about India becoming unhappy or America becoming unhappy is a slavery mentality demonstrated by the Nepali leaders.