Neighbour’s concern

Frustrated by another postponement of elections in Nepal, India is beginning to seriously wonder what approach it should take regarding the unpredictable politics of the Himalayan nation. Despite having sent Shiv Shankar Menon and later, Shyam Saran, rushing to Kathmandu with a clear message to not delay the Constituent Assembly elections, the seven-party alliance there shows no signs of complying. So, in a desperate bid, questionnaires have been sent to Nepal experts seeking their views on various aspects of Indo-Nepal relations. Some of these questions are on whether India should consider having a “closed border” with Nepal or if the 1950 Indo-Nepal Agreement is still relevant. It is learnt that the questionnaire has reached experts in India as well as in Nepal and is expected to spawn a debate soon.