While taking about Indo-Nepal relation, concerns of land disputes have always come first. Though Nepal India relation has a long history, the boundary has a very recent origin.  The treaty of peace signed between Nepal and the East India Company in 1816 resulting into delimitation and delineation of Nepal-India border; the topographical survey of the whole of Nepal carried out by the Survey of India in 1926-27 and 1955-58; formation of Joint Boundary Commission in 1981; and Nepal’s Constituent Assembly’s (CA) Committee on International Relations and Human Rights’ visit to the border areas from Susta to Tanakpur in 2009/10 has still not been able to solve disputes along the border unlike settled Nepal China boundary since the signing of the boundary protocol between Nepal and China in 1961.

The hydro politics is another battle between India and Nepal. The Kosi/Gandak agreements, initially signed in 1954/1959, later amended in1966-1964, Tanakpur Barrage controversy and Mahakali Treaty of 1996 have also created stress in Indo-Nepal relation.

Further, India’s frequent interventions in Nepali politics have created a general school of thought in Nepali society that no single government in Nepal is stable without India’s backing and its support is vital for Nepal to be politically and economically stable.

Let me take you to a quote by Embassy of India in Kathmandu in its homepage, “India-Nepal relationship is shaped by the centuries old social-cultural, historical and geographic linkages. Extensive people-to-people contacts permeate all aspects of the lives of the people of India and Nepal and transcend borders and governments. Welfare of the people of the two countries is interlinked and developments in one country invariably have an impact on the other. Few other sovereign states in the world can take pride in a relationship as wide-ranging and multi-faceted as that shared between India and Nepal. ”

I really doubt the last sentence of the quote. Has anybody cared about gradual degeneration of Indo-Nepal relation despite all this commonality? Isn’t it a matter of concern for both countries in light of growing anti-Indian sentiments in Nepal? Yes, we have land, water and political disputes but what about the centuries long familial, cultural and religious tie? Welfare of the people of the two countries is interlinked and developments in one country invariably have an impact on the other.  This is a matter of immediate thought.

In recent times, no concerted effort has been made by any side to strengthen centuries old people to people tie of these two nations. It is only being natural. Giving positive shape to it is lacking. Perception of each country across the borders is getting far away from reality.

It is always very important to have a commonality of purpose in people to people engagement. So far, only cultural and religious similarity of the two countries has built it. But, now with climate change impacting a large part of India and Nepal, it has become a common yet an important issue to come together and act upon. Since Nepal’s rivers flow into India and constitute an important part of Indian River System (Nepalese rivers alone provide water for 700 million people in India and Bangladesh), climate change in the Himalayas of Nepal can massively cripple the economy of both countries in one way or the other. If it is not addressed jointly and timely by the people of two countries, it can have detrimental effects on the lives of millions of poor and underprivileged communities of both countries. The recent Koshi disaster, for instance, which occurred when a dam burst on the Saptakoshi River in Nepal, submerged 100 villages in Bihar and displaced a million people in India and Nepal.

The people, especially the youths of both countries have a major stake on this issue. Not only will these young people of today have to confront the major impacts of climate change in the near and far future, but they also have to understand their critical role as decision-makers and implementers in a climate-aware society. So, it is important that we create a platform where youths from both sides of borders will exchange ideas, find solution and create societal pressure in their respective countries to enforce government and development agencies to act on it. The Himalayas is such economic asset that it will largely influence the economy of both countries and youths should look at it as a common problem. This coming together of youths of both countries can redefine the whole gamut of Nepal-India relationships, further strengthening the cultural ties between the two countries.

In regards to a new climate change vulnerability Index released by the risk analysis firm Maplecroft , where India ranks 2 and Nepal 4, this coming together of two countries can also be seen as a needed compulsion despite all sorts of disputes. Let’s shape it as a tool for reviving degrading and infected Indo-Nepal relation. Enough talks. Let’s get into action. Otherwise, groups like We’ll get 10,000,000 Members before Dhoti gets 9,999,999 will only shatter the dream of uniting people of two nations together. The sooner, the better!!

[The same piece later published in The Kathmandu Post (Oped), 13th September, 2011 with minor changes.]

Tags: Climate Change