Security Issues To Dominate Modi-Prachanda Parleys

In his first bilateral overseas tour since he assumed office in December last year, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' is coming to India on a four-day official visit starting tomorrow. A variety of agreements related to energy, agriculture, trade & connectivity, health, education and development are on the agenda for talks between the two neighbours.

However, one more area which is expected to generate a lot of heat during Prachanda's bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is security related issues. India would certainly like to extract an assurance from the visiting Prime Minister that Kathmandu won't allow itself to serve as a platform for anti-India activities.

According to a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement, Prachanda's visit will fortify the ongoing tradition of high-level exchanges between the two countries under the 'Neighbourhood First' policy. Over the years, bilateral cooperation between the two neighbours has solidified, and his visit further underlines the significance both nations attach to their deepening partnership.

However, the Modi-Prachanda talks hold immense importance, particularly in light of recent media reports suggesting potential conspiracies to use Nepal's soil for anti-India operations. Diplomatic sources have suggested that Prachanda is likely to declare Nepal's commitment to refraining from endorsing any activities that pose a threat to India.

Amid growing security concerns associated with China's escalating presence in the Himalayan region, India is eager to enhance its relationship with Nepal. Although PM Modi may not directly refer to China's expansionist strategies in Nepal, he will emphasise the need for Nepal to remain vigilant against elements that could harm Indo-Nepalese relations.

India's anxiety stems primarily from China's aggressive infrastructural expansion under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which includes Pakistan and Nepal, and its proposal to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan. PM Modi's focus will be on bolstering cooperative efforts between India and Nepal regarding shared security issues.

During the visit, the Nepalese Prime Minister will meet President Droupadi Murmu and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar too. Subsequently, he will visit Ujjain and Indore in Madhya Pradesh, where he is expected to discuss cleanliness initiatives and waste management systems.

During his visit, India and Nepal are also all set to ink pacts on the construction of transmission lines and power trade, in addition to cooperation in the fertiliser sector. The two leaders will discuss a potential Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), which will facilitate more efficient cooperation in criminal cases.

This builds on the progress from last month's first round of MLAT negotiations on criminal matters between the two countries, involving MEA representatives, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) the Ministry of Law. The presence of an extradition treaty signed in October 1953 will support these discussions.