A leading Nepali economist has rued Nepal’s move to integrate India’s territories, saying Nepal can’t afford India’s wrath
Bengaluru: Nepal’s decision to alter its map marking Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as its territories is an act that has surely vexed India.
A landlocked country that Nepal is, it is entirely dependent on India for the essentials.
But if Nepal has acted in haste, that too, prodded by China on the fanciful premise that China would be an alternative to India, it is nothing else but rank foolishness.
This confession was made by none other than a Nepali economist Dr Posh Raj Pandey.
In this regard, he said, "Nepal is not only a landlocked country, but also India locked as it is surrounded by India from the three sides. The situation will be vulnerable. If India retaliates, it will have a huge economic impact on the country.”
He further said in this regard, "Nepal-India relations should not be allowed to damage and there is a need for early negotiations and a dialogue to resolve the issue at the earliest".
India has maintained that the amendment to include India’s territories as Nepal’s is untenable. Moreover, Nepal can’t think of sustaining itself as two thirds of its supplies come from India whereas from China, it is a mere 14%.
The economist said, "Our imports from India account for two-third whereas that from China is just 14 per cent. We have trading points from Mechi in the east to Mahakali in the west with India, but with the northern neighbour, we only have a few transit points and that also lack infrastructure."
On the issue of exports too, Nepal is more dependent on India.
He said, "As far as our exports are concerned, India receives 60 per cent of our total exports whereas China receives only two per cent. In remittances, we receive around 15 per cent of the total remittances from India and if we compare it with the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it comes around 4-5 per cent.”
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