That Nepal, our closest and historically friendly and strategically situated neighbour should now accuse India of backing a plot to topple K P Sharma Oli's government in that country is a sad commentary of New Delhi's handling of Indo-Nepal relations.
The cancellation of the Nepalese president's visit to India as well as Nepal recalling its ambassador from New Delhi are pointers to increasingly strained bilateral relations. The Oli government must admit its failure in keeping the promise of amending Nepal's new democratic Constitution to provide equal rights to all sections, particularly the Madhesi population.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, needs to ensure there is no trust deficit. Is the opinion, if any, external affairs ministry in determining the trajectory of such relations given due weight by the prime minister? Or are the broad contours of such policy determined entirely by the Prime Minister's Office, rendering the existing mechanism of institutional arrangements redundant? If it's the latter, it must change.
S K Choudhury, Bengaluru
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