Strategic Importance of China-India Cooperation in Nepal

Abstract

Nepal’s geographical location is geopolitically, geo-strategically, and geo-economically important for its immediate neighbors China and India and other great powers of the international arena.Nepal can be developed as a transit point for trade between China and India. Also, if trilateral relation between China-India and Nepal could be conducted, Nepal can be developed as the trilateral junction between China and India. China-India – Nepal Economic Corridor proposed by some of the scholars can be useful for proper trilateral relations between these countries. Lack of infrastructure is one of the major causes of backwardness of Nepal from the development perspective. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) can be an important platform for infrastructure development. Nepal is a mountainous country and one of the important destinations from a tourism point of view. There are also some effects of the China-India cooperation in Nepal. There are possibilities of pressure and intervention of Nepal’s internal affairs by China and India, due to the geopolitical, geo-strategic, and geo-economic importance of Nepal. There are also possibilities of effect/encroach of national interest, independence and, integrity, due to keeping China-India cooperation as current Lipulekh territorial issue. On the other hand, China and India are emerging powers of the world. So, there is a possibility of increasing concern towards Nepal by other great powers of the world as well. So, Nepal has to remain more conscious and aware to protect and promote its national interest, independence, integrity and unity. Being a small state; Nepal has to be conscious of the security aspect while cooperating with China, India, and other countries. Lastly, Nepal is sensitive in terms of geopolitics, geo-strategic, and geo-economic aspects. The immediate neighbors China and India have been emerging as a new great power of the world. On the other hand, other great powers of the world also have prioritized Nepal strategically. So, Nepal has to continue its non-alignment trend and focus on its economic development and prosperity.