Nepali Prime Minister's India visit

Nepal’s First Maoist Prime Minister who lived eight years of a total decade long so-called hibernation in New Delhi, on his five-day visit to India after assuming the post of the Prime Minister has sought the need to “inject new dynamism and vision in the relationship between the two countries (India and Nepal) that are consistent with the new realities and wider hopes and aspirations of people of both the nations”. Amid much expectation, there was nothing new in the speech of the revolutionary Prime Minister of New Nepal. “PM Dahal’s remarks made at a dinner hosted by the Pakistan born Indian PM Dr. Manmohan Singh to welcome the Nepali Delegation currently in New Delhi was just the continuation of the past nothing more nothing less than that”, say Nepal’s India experts. “Due to our specific historical, cultural and geographical relations and due to our whole tradition of economic interdependence, the relation with India is crucial and vital," said the prime minister---his speech was in line with Nepal’s past rulers who in essence wanted Indian blessings to continue ruling Nepal. In the comity of friendly nations PM Dahal’s special thanks to India is rather obvious for its support from his days of Delhi hibernation to the signing of the 2005 November Deal with Nepal’s political parties and to his becoming prime minister of Nepal. Analysts say that a cursory look at what the Nepali Prime Minister said of India reveal that he will not mind if India continued to act as a big brother in Nepali affairs. In his first meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh since he became prime minister of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal told him that Nepal's ties with New Delhi was unique and could not be compared with any other country. The two leaders held separate meeting before they led the bilateral talks between the officials of two countries. The Indian side has agreed to provide relief package to Kosi flood victims. A joint statement regarding the discussions and agreements reached during the talks is likely to be issued on Tuesday. The bilateral talks with Indian PM Singh were held, Monday evening, at Hyderabad House, the office of the Indian PM. PM Dahal who reached New Delhi, Sunday, called on Indian president Pratibha Patil and met with Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and opposition leader Lal Krishna Advani apart from addressing a gathering of Indian business community, on Sunday. During his meeting with Advani – whose party BJP had been skeptical about Nepal's transition from Hindu monarchy to secular republic – the Indian opposition leader assured about continued support to Nepal in the coming days. Prime Minister of Nepal, chose Beijing as his first port of call after assuming office. There has been muted disquiet in India over this departure from ‘tradition’. However, if he had a glimpse of the scantily-clad Chinese cheer leaders, then he might persuade his comrades back home not to be so uptight about the beauty pageants in Nepal. On its part, India will have to take solace from the fact that the new prime minister has promised to be equidistant from both his giant neighbours although New Delhi has always expected preferential treatment because of historical factors, including the open border. Though wary of Indian sensitivities, there have been elements in Nepal, of which the now defunct monarchy was one, which tried occasionally to play the China card to annoy India. The Left has been more vocal in this respect, which is why there has been talk from the Prachanda camp of a relook at all aspects of mutual relations. Power brings new responsibilities and India will hope that a stint in office will persuade the Maoists to curb some of their earlier rhetoric, which may have sprung from a desire to show Big Brother his place. The two countries are far too closely aligned in terms of history, culture (both popular and traditional), ethnicity, economy and now the political structure as well to act as anything other than close friends.