Nepal and the Geo-Strategic Rivalry between China and India
The importance of the Himalayan state of Nepal has been obscured by the international campaign to free Tibet and the vicissitudes of the Sino-Indian rivalry. This book presents the history of Nepals domestic politics and foreign relations from ancient to modern times.
Analyzing newly declassified reports from the United States and Britain, published memoirs, oral recollections and interviews, the book presents the historical interactions between Nepal, China, Tibet and India. It discusses how the aging and inevitable death of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, the radicalization of Tibetan diaspora, and the ascendancy of the international campaign to free Tibet are of increasing importance to Nepal. With its position between China and India, the book notes how the focus could shift to Nepal, with it being home to some 20,000 Tibetan refugees and its chronic political turmoil, deepened by the Asian giants rivalry.
Using a chronological approach, the past and present of the rivalry between China and India are studied, and attempts to chart the future are made. The book contributes to a new understanding of the intricate relationship of Nepal with these neighboring countries, and is of interest to students and scholars of south Asian studies, politics and international relations.
Sanjay Upadhya is a Nepalese journalist specializing in his countrys politics and foreign relations. He has contributed to BBC Radio, The Times of London, World Politics Review, Inter Press Service and Khaleej Times.
Routledge Studies in South Asian Politics
Nepal and the Geo-Strategic Rivalry between China and India
Sanjay Upadhya
Nepal and the Geo-Strategic Rivalry between China and India
Sanjay Upadhya
First published 2012
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
2012 Sanjay Upadhya
The right of Sanjay Upadhya to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Upadhya, Sanjay.
Nepal and the Geo-Strategic Rivalry between China and India/Sanjay
Upadhya.
p. cm. (Routledge studies in South Asian politics; 1) Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. NepalPolitics and government. 2. NepalForeign relationsChina. 3. ChinaForeign relationsNepal. 4. NepalForeign relationsIndia. 5. IndiaForeign relationsNepal. 6. GeopoliticsSouth Asia. I. Title.
DS494.7.U63 2012
327.5496051dc23
2011040911
ISBN: 978-0-415-69572-5 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-203-12284-6 (ebk)
To my mother, Sarala Upadhya, for ceaselessly inspiring me to tell this story of a nations quest to liveContents
Preface
This book draws heavily from the abundant literature available on the subject it addresses. Older, more familiar, events and episodes reflect the chroniclers views colored by the geo-strategic and commercial imperatives of their times. Vital elements of narratives of subsequent phases are scattered across diverse publications, while newer accounts tend to be more speculative and less amenable to thorough analysis. A retelling of the story becomes important in light of newer complexities that are either already evident or are on the horizon.
Newly declassified files from U.S. and British archives shed new light on Nepals place in Cold War international politics. Reminiscences by key players in India and the United States, in particular, offer deeper external insights to specific events. Published memoirs by Nepalese protagonists, thriving in the intellectual and academic openness of the past two decades, have enriched the discourse. An abundance of academic, journalistic and personal writings on China exists where Nepal tends to appear in passing. In proper context, they provide revealing insights. Technology has made these easier to access across the language barrier. I have attempted to weave these diverse materials to widen the perspective of the NepalChinaIndia relationship, buttressed by my own discussions with some key personalities in Nepals royalist, democratic and communist camps over the past three decades.
At the conclusion of each chapter, I have endeavored to highlight Tibets role and influence in the Sino-Indian-Nepalese relationship for that particular period in keeping with the general theme of the volume. While no attempt is made here to address the international legal status of Tibet, the reality that the region has been under Chinese political influence or outright control for much of the period discussed remains central to the inquiry. Conversely, the periods when Tibet has been able to act more independently of China have been treated for their impact on the regional relationships. Thus, at times, Nepals relationship with Tibet and that with China seem to run parallel, while at others they converge. As far as possible, I have attempted to present the Nepalese, Tibetan, Chinese and (British) Indian versions of principal events.
If this volume appears to treat the China side of the rivalry more exhaustively, it is out of recognition that scholarship seems to be lacking there. Indias attitude towards, and perceptions of, Nepal are more widely known because of the deep social, cultural, religious and political ties the two countries share. The factors driving Chinas challenge to Indias special relations in Nepal are relatively obscure and likely to become more prominent. For someone who has not set foot on Chinese soil, this is surely an enormous and perhaps even audacious undertaking. This shortcoming becomes even more telling in view of the paucity of Chinese perspectives on Nepal in the English language. My bypassing of China was not for want of effort, which began in an abortive attempt to travel to that country as a student more than two decades ago. I have tried to compensate by bringing in perspectives garnered through interactions with Chinese diplomats, academics and journalists over the course of my quarter-century career as a journalist.
I have drawn heavily from the works of people around the world who are too numerous to name. Some have been kind enough with their time to clarify their points and respond to specific questions. I hope I have conveyed all academic, specialist and general views correctly. I owe much to my late father, Devendra Raj Upadhya, who spent months in China during three visits in the 1980s and early 1990s researching the dynamics of the NepalChinaIndia relationship. Before that, his participation in the crafting and conduct of Nepals foreign policy as a diplomat and administrator yielded a treasure trove of personal papers. Transcribing his notes and typing the preliminary drafts of his own contributions on the subject provided a monumental education enriched by the countless hours of discussion on historical and contemporary aspects of the regional relationships.
