Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has completed his much-awaited six-day official visit of India. Oli claims it has cleared all misunderstandings, while his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi seems to reckon that Oli has misunderstood some of his gestures. When Oli became the prime minister last October, he received the first congratulatory note from India. Nepali media claimed he was not India's choice. But Oli, in fact, was waiting for the green-signal to fly to Delhi since his first day in office.Oli took over under difficult circumstances. People had got the new constitution seven years after they first voted for Constituent Assembly in 2008. India did not welcome the new constitution. Birgunj-Raxaul border was closed. Nepali government accused India of imposing undeclared blockade. India denied the accusation saying that "it was all because of Nepal's internal problems." For the first time in history, Nepal and India had indecent exchanges in Geneva. Oli declared that he would not go to India without India first lifting the blockade; India conveyed the message 'you won't be welcomed here unless you make the constitution inclusive.' They took about six months to meet each other's expectations.
Modi had a clear understanding of Nepal's political situation from the start. In his first address to Nepal's CA in August 2014, he recommended that the constitution should be drafted with rishi man and it should address the concerns of every community. He reiterated the same during his recent joint address with Oli at the Hyderabad House. Modi repeated that the success of the constitution depends on 'consensus and dialogue' and Nepal will reach new heights with greater stability, inclusiveness, fairness and prosperity.
Modi would not invite Oli without Nepal having an inclusive constitution. But there are many power blocs in India, often working at cross-purposes. Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj prevailed, ultimately, despite strong reluctance of other blocs. She feared the scrimmage between Madheshis and Pahades could continue for long time. So the amendment of the constitution in Nepal made it easier for India to welcome Oli. She wanted to have Oli in India before he went to China.
Modi demonstrated ambivalence towards Nepal during Oli's India visit. He exercised 'trade and trap' diplomacy. He traded his love to trap Oli. He sent Sushma Swaraj to receive Oli at the airport. But he did not think it necessary to prohibit Madheshi students from protesting against Oli's visit. Oli was housed at Rashtrapati Bhawan but Modi greeted Oli in half-sleeve kurtha and Nehru coat, which is not what Indian prime minister wears while meeting state guests. Greeting high-ranking guests with hug is Modi's trademark, but he offered only handshake to Oli.
Modi loves taking selfies with visiting head of governments. But he seemed uninterested to do so with Oli. His smile was artificial, while Oli's was serious. Indian diplomats also displayed distorted images of Nepali flag.
At the end of his press briefing, Foreign Secretary of India, S Jaishankar, clearly scoffed at Oli's misunderstanding. "Large number of issues were discussed and addressed," he said, "but the message which came through from the Nepalese side [Oli] was of clearing up any misunderstandings that there might be." What was the misunderstanding?
After one-to-one meeting with Oli, Modi unambiguously declared that the success of constitution depends on consensus and dialogue. He meant that Nepal's constitution is far from inclusive and that it discriminates Madheshis. Modi has created more misunderstandings with these claims instead of validating Oli's claims.
Modi did not spell a word about the blockade or Madhesh. In fact, these were the issues which had led to acrimonious relations between the two countries. It is a mystery why they were not mentioned. In diplomacy what is said is often not what is meant and what is intended is rarely said. It is possible the two prime ministers talked about both issues during their one-to-one meeting, but failed to come to common ground. Thus misunderstanding between the two countries is yet to be cleared. And so they did not issue a joint communiqué. Oli seems to have misunderstood the whole point.
Indo-Nepal relation was at its worst in the last six months. Oli's visit will help to improve the situation. But disagreements persist. Oli's visit was shrouded in suspicion. Both sides were in ambivalent mode. The visit is over now and it is being evaluated. But it would be naïve to call Oli's visit successful. It has aggravated the old misunderstanding rather than helped clear it.
The author is a Research Scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
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