The visit is also a good opportunity to call on the Indian business community to invest in Nepal
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal embarks on his four-day official visit to India on May 31 at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.
After weeks of speculations, the visit has been confirmed with the foreign ministries of both the countries issuing press releases to this effect. This is Prime Minister Dahal's first visit abroad, having skipped the Boao Forum for Asia in China in March-end due to the "fluid" political situation at home. It has almost become a tradition for a prime minister of Nepal to begin his maiden foreign visit from India upon assuming office. The two sides are expected to hold extensive discussion on diverse areas of bilateral partnership.
While Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is confident the visit will further strengthen the ageold, multifaceted and cordial ties between the two, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs has stated that the visit continues the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between Nepal and India in furthering its 'Neighbourhood First' policy.
Among others, the visit is expected to concentrate on three major issues. Two new international airports – the Gautam Buddha International Airport at Bhairahawa and the Pokhara International Airport – have failed to come into full operation even after a year of their inauguration as India has so far refused additional air routes to Nepal. As a result, the two airports, built with the financial assistance of the AsianDevelopment Bank and the Chinese government, are at risk of turning into white elephants. There is stalemate in resolving the border issue between the two countries at Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh in northwest Nepal.
The Nepal government had approved the new map of the country showing them as Nepaliterritories in May 2020. There are quite a few other territories that India has encroached upon as well.
The sooner the border issues can be resolved, the better it will be for strengthening ties between the two countries. Energy export to Bangladesh using Indian transmission lines is another important agenda of the visit. Bangladesh recently agreed to import 50 MW of power from Nepal during the rainy season, making it the second country after India to buy power from Nepal. Nepal and Bangladesh have also agreed to jointly develop the 683 MW Sunkoshi III hydropower project, as part of a larger energy deal in the future. However, India's cooperation is necessary as Nepal and Bangladesh do not share a border.
During PM Dahal's visit to India, he is also scheduled to address the Nepal-India Business Summit in New Delhi. This is a good opportunity for the Prime Minister to call on the Indian business community to invest in Nepal. The country has been facing a trade deficit with India for ages, and this huge gap in exports and imports cannot continue for long. Nepal cannot always be a ready market for Indian goods, given the long, porous border, and ways must be found for not only free but fair trade as well. The people, business community and the political parties will be closely watching the outcome of the visit by PM Dahal to India. If he can achieve a breakthrough in some of the issues raised, then only can the visit be termed a success.
Dengue infection
With the onset of the rainy season, cases of dengue infection are likely to rise across the country, particularly in the Tarai region, where water-logging in and around human settlements provides a fertile ground for mosquitoes to breed. Considering the impending danger, the Ministry of Health and Population has urged the people to remain cautious about dengue infection. Staying away from mosquito bite is the only way to remain safe from the infection.
The ministry has asked the people to wear clothes that can cover all body parts, use mosquito nets and repellents, and destroy mosquito breeding areas to avert the bites.
Mosquitoes lay eggs in ditches and containers filled with clean water. The ministry has a plan to launch a nationwide campaign on Fridays. As part of the plan, all government employees will spruce up the areas surrounding their respective office buildings every Friday. As per the ministry, a total of 88 people died from dengue infection while as many as 54,630 people were infected with the vector-borne disease last year. Nepal detected dengue cases in 2006, and the number of people suffering from it is growing every year. The local levels should raise awareness drives to ward off the spread of dengue.
A version of this article appears in the print on May 29, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.