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By P.R. Pradhan

When we look from the surface, the Nepal-India relations look excellent but the Indian behaviour toward Nepal is not as we expect between the two friendly nations. In the name of the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS), India has halted importing different items including cement, steel rods and shoes, among others. India has not issued BIS certificates for these products barring imports of them. Nepali industries are facing a serious crisis from such unfriendly behavior of the Indian officials.

At a time when the Nepali economy is suffering from recession, India has stopped imports of these items by adding further trouble to Nepal.

Already, Nepal is a dumped market for India. Nepal’s trade deficit with India is very high due to the imports of Indian goods. Exports from Nepal compared to imports are very nominal, still, Indians are giving trouble to Nepal.

India allows imports of vegetable ghee from Nepal. In fact, Nepal imports it from Singapore and other countries and exports it to India. By exporting these items, Nepali businessmen enjoy a small margin of commission. However, cement is produced from our own raw materials and cement factories have been established here with the plan of exporting cement to the Indian market.

The Indian attitude makes it clear that she doesn’t want to cooperate with Nepal for industrialization. India wants to see Nepal becoming a permanently poor country so that she can exploit the Nepali leaders and influence Nepali politics.

If our leaders, intellectuals and senior bureaucrats have also understood the Indian attitude, then we should not rely on the Indian market, so far, we need to search markets in other countries. In doing so, Nepali products should be cheap and compete in the international market. The government should provide different kinds of incentives to the local industries including supply of the electricity at subsidized price. Besides, Nepal should take transit facilities from China considering possible obstacles to be created by India in future while using the Indian seaports.

Moreover, Nepal should develop a strategy and also a master plan to become self-sufficient by producing goods needed for the country at home. Substituting imports, searching international markets and using Chinese transit routes should be the priority for Nepal to make the nation prosperous. We should never depend on the electricity exported to India. Anytime, India may stop importing our electricity, which may create a heavy financial loss for Nepal and local hydropower projects. A wise nation and wise citizens should also think about possible setbacks from relying on a single neighbor in trade.   

Unless Nepal becomes a nation economically prosperous, we should be prepared to tolerate Indian hegemony, whether it is the encroachment of our land or economic blockade. In this regard, we must welcome Chinese partnership for the nation’s development despite the Indian wish to stop China in Nepal.

Indians have already given the message that she will not import goods using Chinese raw materials and also hydropower projects constructed with Chinese support or Chinese contractors. We should invite a Chinese partnership so that our products can be exported to China.

China, due to the increase in labour costs and incline in the living standard, is shifting its industries to the neighboring countries. Nepal should also welcome the Chinese joint ventures and start producing Chinese goods using our cheap labors and electricity. There is a bright future for producing livestock, and herbs, among other items, that could be exported to China without hurdles.

Despite all these hegemonic attitudes of India, our leaders, either to save their position or to be rewarded with power in the government, are buttering their Indian bosses. We cannot expect betterment of the nation from the leaders who are enjoying power turn by turn.

Firstly, we must scrap the present political system imposed by the Indo-West power, which has become a white elephant for the nation; we must throw away the present corrupt leaders serving foreigners’ interests and introduce a sustainable political system which flourishes peace and patriotism and keeps the nation united.