Learn from Sri-Lanka, be vigilant about China, General Rawat tells Nepal

New Delhi, Dec 18: Nepal must learn from countries like Sri Lanka and stay vigilant in its dealings with China, Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat said.

General Rawat was addressing the annual dialogue between the Centre for Land Warfare Studies in New Delhi and the Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement.

Here, I would like to stress that India's goodwill comes with no strings attached. Nepal is free to exercise its choices in international affairs, but it should stay vigilant and learn from some cases of Sri Lanka and other nations who have signed agreements with other countries in the region, he said.

The unique India-Nepal ties have been built over centuries. In the present age, Nepal is also opening up to other nations, including China based on its independent foreign policy, he said.

The General's statement was an obvious reference to the way China has entrapped several nations in debt through infrastructure projects. India has concerns that China through its infrastructure projects are making inroads into Nepal in a bid to work against New Delhi's interests in the country.