Nepal: Leaders, experts call for 'bigger space' in enhancing ties with India

"We are so tempted that we should create a space in New Delhi out of the partnership that we have had till now, and particularly after the Pahalgam incident," said former minister and Nepali Congress leader, Minendra Rijal.

Speaking at an event in Kathmandu on Monday organised by the Institute for Public Policy and Partnership, the former minister said since India's ties with some of their neighbours are facing some difficulties, Nepal has to seize the opportunity.

He called for a sincere and open dialogue with India on sensitive issues.

"No one can substitute Nepal-India relations. Since India is a big country, we definitely have complaints about it. Our relationship goes beyond the Roti-Beti cliche (sociocultural ties), and these relations don't fit in any single framework. But when engaging with India, most of the time, our leaders only cared about their politics and how to secure their election tickets," Rijal further said, urging for dialogue with India.

Additionally, the former foreign minister of Nepal, NP Saud, addressing the event, said that in diplomacy, achieving completely balanced relationships is not possible despite what some people suggest.

"We have to maintain our relations by keeping national interest at the core. We should be open while dealing with India. Non-alignment has become increasingly irrelevant, and multilateralism is becoming important to us. In this context, we need to fine-tune our relations with India due to the emerging global and regional context," said Saud.

Meanwhile, Vijaya Jolly, former in-charge of the BJP's foreign cell, sought increased support from Nepal in India's fight against terrorism, adding that India does not mind if Nepal conducts its independent foreign policy with any country.

He highlighted the long-standing neighbourly relations between both nations and stated that there is no space for terrorism in South Asia.

"Saarc is dead, and terror and trade cannot go together. After 2025, we have to give new dimensions to our bilateral ties," said Jolly, condemning the terror attack.

"It was India which responded first when an earthquake struck Nepal in 2015. Prime Minister Modi visited Nepal for a record five times since 2014, but at the same time, nine Nepali prime ministers have gone on official visits to India. Over 7.5 million Nepali nationals are living and working in India, which makes our relations special and unique. The security forces of both countries are guarding their respective borders," he further added.

India and Nepal share a close and long-standing relationship, characterised by extensive cooperation in various areas, including defence, trade, development, and cultural exchange, according to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The MEA also mentioned that Nepal is a priority partner under India's "Neighbourhood First" policy.

The frequent high-level visits and exchanges between the two nations have added momentum to the bilateral partnerships and helped the leadership to review at regular intervals the entire gamut of the relationship, the MEA mentioned.