As it launched its first-ever military exercise with China on Sunday, Nepal sought to reach out to India lest its growing defence ties with Beijing become an irritant in India-Nepal relations.
President Bidhya Devi Bhandari is arriving here Monday on a five-day visit apparently to dispel any notion that the bonhomie between the armed forces of Nepal and China could have implications for India.
She will stay at Rashtrapati Bhavan as a special guest of President Pranab Mukherjee. Apart from meeting a galaxy of India leaders, she will visit Gujarat and Odisha to offer prayers at ancient temples.
Nepal-China joint military drill ‘Sagarmatha Friendship-2017’ began at Nepal Army’s Para Training School in Maharajgunj. Chinese People’s Liberation Army and the Nepal Army are participating in the 10-day drills to focus on counter- terrorism and disaster response.
The Nepal Army has for long been conducting joint military drills with Indian and American troops.The exercise was earlier scheduled to be held in February but was subsequently postponed to April.
It is understood that China had proposed the joint exercise to Nepal in May last year when India’s ties with the then K P Oli government in Nepal had cooled somewhat amid growing anti-India rhetoric in the Himalayan nation.
When asked how India looked at the Nepal-China military exercise, Sudhakar Dalela, Joint Secretary (North) in the External Affairs Ministry, merely stated that Nepal has its own relationship with China. As far as India was concerned, it has a unique and time-tested friendship with Nepal, he added.
While the exercise does not go against the terms of the India-Nepal treaty of peace and friendship, India is concerned and will certainly keep a close eye on the exercise, given the strategic environment in the region.
On its part, Nepal has said that the exercise should not be a matter of concern for India. The drill was a part of its regular bilateral and multilateral military exercises aimed at sharing experiences, skills and professional knowledge with friendly countries.
Defence forces of Nepal and China have lately enhanced their engagement. On 19 February, Maj. Gen.l Zhao Jinsong of the western command of the People’s Liberation Army of China was in Nepal on a three-day visit. That was followed by a visit by Defence Minister and State Councillor Chang Wanquan last month.