'Our China Ties Not Directed Against India'

NEPAL’S ambassador to India NILAMBER ACHARYA believes that greater connectivity and trade with India will bring the two countries closer to each to other. In an exclusive interaction with BW Businessworld’s MANISH KUMAR JHA, the ambassador opens up about the dynamics of Nepal’s relations with its neighbours. Excerpts:

- Manish Kumar Jha

How do you look at Indo-Nepal relations?

India and Nepal are not only neighbors. We have many things in common. Besides our borders, we share culture, heritage, history, language, and arts. To say we are neighbors would mean we are close geographically, but we have a close relationship and it lies deep in our heart, in our feelings, in our attitude. We might have political differences, but even then we have feelings of closeness among our people. But closeness should be further developed, cherished, maintained, respecting the sensitivity and addressing the needs of each other.

India is changing, Nepal is changing — the world is changing. World power is shifting from one area to another, we should all take note of it and make necessary adjustments. So, we have to build on our traditional closeness in the economic sphere, in science, in technology, and in connectivity. Do we say we are close to each other but are we connected well enough? Do we have good roads, railway routes or river routes connecting Nepal and India? No, not yet.

So if we are “close” we must first be connected physically, so this a new area. There’s so much to be done in Nepal in order to develop it. What are the components of development? In energy, Nepal is rich in hydro research, but it is not yet used. But in agriculture, manufacturing, IT and tourism Nepal is yet to see growth and prosperity.

India’s bilateral trade with Nepal in FY18 stood at $6.82 billion. What are you looking for in trade and investment?