Evolution Of Sphere Of Influence In Indo-Nepal Relations
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Authors
Chhetri, Bijay
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Department Of International Relation & Diplomacy
Abstract
In political discourse of India-Nepal relations, the termsphereof influence of ten appears without much scrutiny.This position has been used by several writers and politicians as the continuance of a strategic traditional inherited from the British imperial policyof treatingSouthAsianregionas itsexclusive strategic backyard. Since its inception, Indian establishment had their interests in defending the political status-quo in Indo-Nepal relations which inanotherword is to maintain its sphere of influence rather in implicit manner.Nepal continuously struggled to defy the prevailing status-quo in interstate relations between the two countries.But,Chinese annexation of Tibet in 1950, a move that brought China´s territorial boundaries to the edge of Nepal,New Delhi foundnew justification to itssphereof influence claim over the subcontinent on defensive grounds.India unilaterally started to assume the responsibility of entire himalayan frontier as far as its defence is concerned.
Bydefinition,asphereof influence is a determinate region within which asingleexternal powerexertsapredominant influence,withexclusionofotherpowersand limitationof the independenceorsovereigntyofpoliticalentitieswithinit.Forlong,absenceofstrongpresenceofexternalactor(s)in India´spolitical orbit hadmade the IndianSphereof Influenceclaim,morevalid.But,Nepal´sdesiretoestablishitselfasanbonafideindependentstateininternationalsocietywouldnotgohand-in-hand with beingpart of Indian sphere of influence. Coming out of Indian shadow was a necessary condition if Nepal was to realise its national aspiration.Thus, rigorous attempts were made from Nepal ina bid to reduce heavy handed Indian influence in its internal andexternalpolity.As far as Nepal started to diversify its external relations beyond its southern neighbour, it started to test the balancing act of Indian foreign policy.The case for India n sO I did not remained the same,indeed,it is evolvingovertime.