The economic blockade being imposed by India highlights the urgent need for Nepal to diversify its supply chain for vital necessities like daily edibles and fuel. A land-locked country, the most effective way to do so for Nepal would be to develop the nine custom points along the Nepal-China border. This means linking those border points with our main urban hubs through reliable roads. There is no reason the eight custom points along the Nepal-China border cannot be developed and opened alongside the already operational eight border points with India. In the long run, these roads can be linked and used for transportation of both goods and people along the Tibet-Nepal-India corridor, which will also be in keeping with the aspirations of SAARC countries for greater regional connectivity. But this diversification strategy should also encompass other countries with which Nepal does not share its border. It is true that almost all third-country trade of Nepal is conducted via Indian ports. Still there is no reason Nepal should be doing as much as 60 percent of its trade with a single country. Better air links with the outside world would help.There are many reasons for Nepal's overreliance on India. One is close people-to-people contact. This contact, based on shared socio-cultural values, forms the basis of trust between the businessmen in the two countries. But the Indian political establishment apparently sees this as Nepal's weakness, something that can be exploited for political leverage. Since Nepal is effectively 'India-locked', the thinking seems to be, whatever India does in Nepal is justified. It's not. In fact, Nepal has done nothing to harm Indian interests in the country. All it wanted to do was write its own constitution so that the prolonged political transition could end and the country could embark on the path of peace and prosperity. Indo-Nepal relations are so close and so important that no mainstream political party in Nepal can afford to work against Indian interests. Moreover, Nepal has never allowed the use of its territories against the interests of our two closest friends. And how can the constitution, passed by an overwhelming majority of people's representative—and a constitution that marked the completion of the peace and constitution process that started with the signing of the 12-point accord in New Delhi in 2005—be deemed anti-Indian?
But that is exactly how it's being seen by India, and which is why a crippling blockade has been imposed to teach its small neighbor a lesson. We must not give in to such bullying tactics. Instead there should be a concerted effort to expand our external linkages so that we are not in the future compelled to act against our own interest. China has already offered to extend every possible help. Our other foreign friends seem as committed. Nepal must cash in on this goodwill that has been generated by the Great Earthquake and the recent Indian blockade. If we can diversify our economic linkages and make ourselves less dependent on India, needless India-bashing would also decrease.
Related story
19th Asian Games: 228 medals finalized so far, China on top, Ne...
