International Relations Class 05

 International Relations Class 05

INDO -BANGLADESH RELATIONS (5:19 PM)

• China in Bangladesh:
• China is the largest defence exporter to Bangladesh. 
• Bangladesh is a part of BRI 
• Bangladesh supports the one-China policy. 
• China's growing presence in Bangladesh is a matter of concern for India. 
• What Bangladesh has done to assuage India's concern:
• PM Sheikh Hasina calls China a friend, a partner in a mega infrastructure project and their relations are transactional on the other hand, she refers India to as family i.e. relation is ingrained in blood. 
• Radicalisation: 
• There is growing radicalisation in Bangladeshi society and it is a matter of concern for India. For e.g., there is a group name HUJI, HUJI-B. 
• Note: Kindly refer to the handout material provided by the faculty for more detail.

INDO-NEPAL RELATIONS (6:11 PM)

• Question 1: Despite the closeness in terms of culture, traditions and people-to-people ties, Indo-Nepal relations are fraught with challenges. Comment. 
• Question 2: Examine whether in the context of the recent visits by the Nepali PM that this hit relation is touching Himalayan heights. 
• Question 3:  Suggest the needs and the ways to reimagine Indo-Nepal relations. 
• Evidence of close people-people ties:
• 1. On the basis of religion, there is a connection stretching from Lumbini to Bodh Gaya and Pashupatinath to Kashivishwanath.
• 2. Linguistically, Nepali, Bhojpuri and Maithili are the prominent languages spoken in Nepal. They have roots in the Indian languages of Sanskrit, Hindi and Pali respectively.
• 3. Geographically the Terai Region of Nepal opens into the Indian Northern plains forming geographically contiguous subunits.
• 4. The Shah kings of Nepal were Sisodia Rajputs from Rajasthan. 
• 5. Nepal has a total population of 29 million of which 7 million live and work in India. 
• 6. These special relations are evident in the Gorkha regiment of the Indian army which recruits Nepalis soldiers. 
• 7. The special relations are apparent in the open borders and traditions of inter-dining and cross-border marriages between the people of the two countries. It is referred to as 'Roti- Beta ka Rishta'
• Indo-Nepal relations experts S.D. Muni has famously commented that the 'two countries are lodged in each other intestines '. It captures the unparallel closeness at people-people levels in Indo-Nepal relations.
• However, the state-state relationship remains fraught with challenges :
• Reasons:
• 1. India does not have an independent Nepal policy: 
• India has looked at Nepal from the perspective of China.
• India faces a severe security dilemma with China and would want Nepal to act as a buffer against China.
• For a long, India sought to micromanage affairs in Nepal 
• Even Nehru declared in the Indian parliament (December 1950) that India's security will enjoy primacy over Nepal's sovereignty.
• India wants Nepal to prioritise its relationship with New Delhi. 
• Nepal following the foreign policy of equidistance is unacceptable to India. However, even their founder king had suggested that Nepal should follow a diversified foreign policy to ensure its strategic autonomy because of its location between the two Asian Giants. 
• 2. Also Nepal is too big a country (45th in terms of size); twice the size of Srilanka and too proud of its non-colonial past to be any country vassal state 
• Other reasons:
• 1. Political instability in Nepal:
• Nepal's polity initially comprised three poles namely - king, Rana's (hereditary institutions of PM) and Nepali congress.
• In the early 2000s, Maoism emerged as one of the prominent poles. 
• Through the 2006, Comprehensive peace agreement, the institution of monarchy was abolished while the Maoist were integrated into the mainstream politic of Nepal.
• In its modern constitutional history, Nepal has had 5 formal constitutions, the present constitution was adopted in 2015 and two interim constitutions. 
• Since 2008, the power-hungry politicians are said to be playing 'musical chairs' with PM seats.
• 2. India has not followed diplomatic protocols with Nepal a number of times. For instance, the friendship treaty of 1950 was signed by Nepal's PM and India's Ambassador to Nepal. In the process, India has hurt Nepali pride.
• 3a. The unofficial economic blockade of the Indo-Nepal highway in 2015 fanned anti-India sentiments, especially amongst the Nepali youth. Consequently, KP Oli government won the elections on anti-India grounds in 2016. 
• 3b. Anti- India feelings have as such been the political rallying point in Nepal's politics. 
• 4. Inability of India to complete the promised projects on time has created scope for China in Nepal. 
• Steps taken by the GoI to improve Indo-Nepal relations:
• 1a. According to political priority to Nepal, the present BJP government emphasises strong state-state relations with Nepal based on the existing strong people-people ties. PM Modi's 2014 visit to Nepal was the first visit by an Indian PM in 17 years. 
• 1b. During the first term of the Modi government, PM Modi visited Nepal 4 times in 5 years.
• 2. Emphasis on connectivity:
• To counter the prospects of growing China-Nepal relations, especially in terms of their trade and transit treaty, India is trying to build better connectivity with Kathmandu.
• India has laid down an electric rail link between Raxual in Bihar to Kathmandu. 
• India has laid down a petroleum pipeline from Motihari in Bihar to Amlekhaganj which is to be extended to Chitvan in Nepal. Another pipeline has been proposed from Siliguri to Jhapa. Previously, almost all the petroleum exports to Nepal moved through tanker trucks subject to the vagaries of road transport.
• In 2023, during the visit of Nepali PM Prachanda to India, India and Nepal renewed their transit treaty. 
• They have also integrated, multiple integrated check posts to ease bilateral trade.
• 3. Hydropower cooperations:
• Nepal has a Hydro-power potential of 83000 megawatts of which 40000 megawatts is feasible at the current technology level. 
• However, until recently Nepal used to import electricity from India, but now there is a growing willingness demonstrated in Nepal to cooperate with India in the hydro-power sector 
• In the financial year, 2022 alone Nepal exported 450 megawatts of electricity to India which generated a revenue of 12$ billion for Nepal. (win-win economic partnership)
• Building on this momentum, the two countries in 2023, concluded a long-term, agreement to supply 10000 megawatts of power in 10 years.
• The two countries have signed MOU to develop Arun III and IV hydro-power projects, the Karnali hydropower project and the 5000 megawatts Pancheswar hydro project are to be expedited.
• India has agreed to facilitate Nepal's hydropower export to Bangladesh of 40 megawatts. It is a major breakthrough.
• 4. Emphasis on Cultural connect- also to balance China's hard power with India's soft power:
• Ramayana and Buddhist circuit envisaged between the two countries. 
• Sister city agreements concluded between Lumbini- Bodh Gaya, Kathmandu-Varanasi and Janakpur- Ayodhya.
• 5. Humanitarian assistance:
• India was the first responder in the 2015 earthquake.
• India provided covid19 vaccine as part of Vaccine diplomacy. This has generated goodwill for India among the Nepalis.
• PM Modi in his 2014 visit to Nepal had given the HIT formula (H= Highways, I= I-ways and T = Trans ways).
• During the recent visit by PM Prachanda to India commented to be superhit and relations are touching the Himalayan highways.

THE TOPIC FOR THE NEXT CLASS: BILATERAL ISSUES IN RELATIONS.

QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE

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1)

Consider the following statements:

1. India shares both land and coastal boundaries with Nepal.
2. India shares only land boundaries with Bangladesh.

Which of the statement(s)given above is/are correct?

(a)1 only

(b)2 only

(c)Both 1 and 2

(d)Neither 1 nor 2

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2)

Given below is the list of Communities sometimes mentioned in the news and the regions they inhabit: (2016 Prelims)

1. Kurd: Bangladesh
2. Madhesi: Nepal
3. Rohingya: Myanmar

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

(a)1 and 2 only

(b)2 only

(c)2 and 3 only

(d)3 only

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3)

Concerning relations between India and Nepal, Consider the following statements:

1. India Nepal Friendship Treaty allows Nepali nationals to work in India without a work permit, and to apply for government jobs and civil services (except for the IFS, IAS, and IPS).

2. Pancheswar Dam Project is a bi-national project aimed at energy production and augmenting irrigation in India and Bhutan.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)Both Statements I and II are correct and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I.

(b)Both Statements I and II are correct but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I.

(c)Statement I is correct and Statement II is incorrect.

(d)Statement I is incorrect and Statement II is correct.

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4)

Which of the following are correctly matched-

1. India-Nepal: Surya Kiran

2. India-Bangladesh: Sampriti

3. India-Afghanistan: Mitra Shakti

(a)1 and 2 only

(b)2 and 3 only

(c)1 and 3 only

(d)All are correct

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5)

With reference to the international collaboration in the field of nuclear science, consider the following,

1. DAE has signed an agreement with Fermilab in the field of Nuclear Medicine.

2. India is assisting Bangladesh in the construction of its nuclear power plant with the assistance of Russia.

Which of the statements given above is/ are correct?

(a)1 Only

(b) 2 Only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d)Neither 1 nor 2

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6)

What are the principles that guide our Gujral foreign policy?

1. Bilateral Peaceful resolution of conflicts.

2. Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

3. Non-reciprocity.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a)Only one

(b)Only two

(c)All three

(d)None

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7)

Consider the following statements with respect to India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFP);

1. The pipeline is  running from Siliguri (India) to Parbatipur (Bangladesh)

2. It is the first cross border energy pipeline India has with its neighbour in South Asia.

Choose the correct code from below;

(a)Only one statement is correct

(b)Both the statements are correct

(c)Both the statements are incorrect

(d)None of the above

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8)

Consider the following pairs in the context of "String of Pearls’: 

1. Thailand - Kyaukpyu port.

2. Bangladesh - Chittagong port

3. Sri Lanka - Hambantota port

4. Iran - Gwadar port

How many of the above pairs is/are correctly matched? 

(a)Three pairs

(b)Two Pairs

(c)All four

(d)None

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9)

India and Bangladesh are enjoying the golden phase of their relationship but still there are some challenges. Suggest measures to overcome these challenges(150 words/10 Marks).

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10)

Examine whether in the context of the recent visits by the Nepali PM that this hit relation is touching Himalayan heights. (150 words/10 marks)

Answers
1) d
2) c
3) c
4) a
5) b
6) c
7) a
8) b

Q1.

Despite the closeness in terms of culture, geography, and people-to-people relations, India-Nepal relations are fraught with challenges. Examine. (150 Words/10 Marks)

(10 marks)