New Perspectives On India Nepal Relations

Contributed articles.

The book discusses the development of India Nepal Relations on various levels.

Looking To The Future Offers Some Positive Perspectives Of Indo-Nepal Relations. Even As It Accepts The Old Premise That The Two Countries Have Definite Pattern Of Interactions On The Basis Of Several Determinants Both Constants And Variables, It Tries To Reassure That An Other-Than-Conventionally Practised Policy Can Work To Effectively Enhance National Interests As Well As Bilateral Relations. Only An Objective Study On Indo-Nepal Relations Can Free Ourselves From The Old-Mindset In Nepal And India.Articles Included In The Volume Represent A Variety Of Experienced Persons Whose Overall Conclusions Are More Or Les Similar That The National And Transactional Interests Of Both The Countries Can Be Better Safeguarded Only With An Unprejudiced Approach To The Emergent Issues. Experts With Realistic Attitudes Have Come Forward In This Book. As The Title Suggests, This Book Is Expected To Set A Distinct Trend In Indo-Nepal Relations In The Future. It Is A Timely Response To New Possibilities Being Created By Powerful Trends Of Democracy And Regionalization Based On Understanding And Cooperation.

''...unmatched in its meticulous and careful research into the wellsprings of a truly unique relationship between two neighbouring states.'' SHYAM SARAN ''Ranjit Rae''s portrayal of India-Nepal relations from the Indian perspective is meticulous, nuanced and insightful." S.D. MUNI ''Ranjit Rae breaks down the paradox of India''s very intimate yet troubled relationship with Nepal.'' C. RAJA MOHAN The first two decades of the new millennium have witnessed a dramatic socio-political transformation of Nepal. A violent Maoist insurgency ended peacefully, a new constitution abolished the monarchy and established a secular federal democratic republic. Nevertheless, political stability and a peace dividend have both remained elusive. Nepal is also buffeted by changing geopolitics, including the US-China contestation for influence and the uneasy relationship between India and China. As a close neighbour, India has been deeply associated with the seminal changes in Nepal, and the bilateral relationship has seen many twists and turns. Partly a memoir, this book examines India''s perspective on these developments, in the context of the civilizational and economic underpinnings of the India-Nepal relationship, as well as issues that continue to prevent this relationship from exploiting its full potential. Though there are several Nepalese accounts that deal with this subject, there are few from an Indian point of view. Kathmandu Dilemma fills this gap.

Contributed articles presented earlier in a seminar.

The other areas of Indo-Nepal relations covered in the book include trade and Indian participation in Nepal's development projects. The study concludes with a survey of the historic change in Nepal from the King-dominated Panchayat systems to multiparty democracy under constitutional monarchy. The author finds prospects of Indo-Nepal cooperation promising as a result of recent changes within Nepal and also at the global and regional levels.

Since its establishment as a policy research institute in 1990, the Institute for In- grated Development Studies (IIDS) has been engaged in promoting public awa- ness and understanding of issues of national importance by undertaking studies and research on contemporary themes. It has been disseminating findings of its studies to policymakers in the public and private sectors and ultimately to the public at large. Water resources is one of the areas of strong public interest in Nepal. It is cons- ered a potent engine of economic growth. Its optimal use is dependent on, among other things, the cooperation among the riparian countries, especially India and Bangladesh. Water resources development is one of the subjects in which the Ins- tute has been engaged since its beginning by undertaking studies through national professionals and joint studies on the water resources of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna river basins with policy research institutes from India and Bangladesh. In order to help policymakers to develop long-term perspectives of the need for cooperation for optimal use of water available in the tributaries of the Ganges, the Institute was involved in a major track-two exercise for over five years during the 1990s. The Institute has been undertaking a series of exercises in the form of p- lication and dissemination of study findings in the field since the early 1990‘s. In that series, this book is the latest one and is published in collaboration with Springer Science + Business Media BV, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.