Prospects Of Nepal-China-India Trilateral Cooperation

This paper aims to expound a vision of a trilateral cooperation between Nepal, China and India from the perspective of Nepal. It explores the major transformation of the competition and cooperation between China and India and argues that these developments in this area are likely to provide a platform for its small neighbors sustainable development. The purpose of this study is to propose a new paradigm of cooperation among the three participating nations which would lead to mutual benefits and to a win-win situation opposed to a widely-held belief of geopolitical balance of power or rivalry between the two rising Asian powers. Firstly, consideration is given to the geopolitical position of the three countries and to the growing security interest and economic cooperation of China and India in Nepal. Secondly, given the changed paradigm of international relations, where the dominate tendency is cooperation, it is possible for India, China and Nepal to initiate such a trilateral cooperation. These are major dynamics to portray the inherent pattern of interaction and cooperation between Nepal-China-India in trilateral framework as a Perspective from Nepal. These tendencies suggest that in the coming years it is highly likely that China and India’s economic collaboration will be potentially advantageous for their neighbor countries. Likewise, India and China are much better off looking at these smaller neighbors as lands of opportunity rather than as more reasons for rivalry. China has already seen the likelihood of these countries working on the trilateral framework. Many of the experts and scholars from India have also advocated that it is essential for India’s foreign policy towards its neighbours to be urgently revisited.Nepal shares borders with China and India,1415km and1850km, respectively. Nepal’s boundary with India extends on three sides:west, south and east, the boundary between Nepal and China lies in the north. Nepal has a very long historical, political, cultural and economic interaction with both China and India. Nepal’s security policy, because of her geographical position and her open border with India has had a deep impacts on its security and strategic perceptions. Therefore, in this sense Nepal fundamentally facilitates both India and China’s security interests in the South Asian region. China has been particularly anxious over issues related to the anti-China activities carried out by the Tibetan refugees in Nepal, while India has been indicating incidents which existences because of Nepal-India cross border. Although immediate there is less possibility of a trilateral cooperation on the security issues between Nepal, India and China, these countries are geographically in the same area and share each other’s vital security interests and bearing similar threats. At least China and India are aware that an instable and less developed Nepal would probably harm their national interests. Sooner or later they will need to find mutual security grounds for peaceful development. It would be better for China and India in some scope including Nepal to pursue peaceful coexistence that will foster regional peace and stability.Nepal’s neighbours China and India have35%of the world Population. Nepal has as enormous potential to act as a’vibrate bridge’between35%of world population. The bilateral trade between China and India has been rising year by year. China’s "Go West" policy and the strategic implications of the infrastructure projects in Tibet, means located near Nepal’s border would give rise to a series of prospects for Nepal and India. Moreover, the extension line of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway to link Lhasa to Xigatze will bring the link closer to Indian and Nepalese borders and open up new economic possibilities. Indeed, Nepal holds a high stake in Chinese government’s thinking as an important part of China’s strategic gateway to South Asia. In recent years, the trade volume between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China has seen a significant rise. The trade between Nepal and India has always been constant. China and India are favorably attracted to invest in diverse areas in Nepal. The areas of economic are anticipated as principal sectors of trilateral cooperation.In the last decades, Nepal’s foreign policy towards it neighbors has always failed to gain extensive benefits from its giant neighbors. In order to maintain good relations and to pursue for a trilateral cooperation with China and India, Nepal should adopt a new approach towards China and India. Essentially, Nepal needs to endorse a’balance of power’ between its two giants neighbors, but to some extent laying on one side or card-playing ’game theory’ Nepal is unsuccessful to achieve its substantial development. In the coming years, Nepal can only achieve economic progress by maintaining equiproximial policy towards its two economics giants. Nepal’s nature geographical position and heightening security and economic interest, both China and India’s interest in Nepal would be a worthy opportunity for Nepal to act as a catalyst bringing China and India into a collaborative relationship within the bounds of a trilateral framework and thereby, foster and facilitate a discourse of cooperation between two of the fastest growing economies of the world.Applying the constructive approach and to some extend using a liberal point of view, this paper has put forward several recommendations those could be some basic proposals, which can be useful references for guiding trilateral cooperation. Regional security issues, economy and trade, infrastructure and tourism, and the use of water resources could be specific areas where the three countries can work together within the trilateral framework of cooperation. Cross-border infrastructure, particularly railway connectivity via Nepal can become the first scheme in the context of this trilateral cooperation. The overall vision for trilateral cooperation is an optimistic and win-win situation, but this optimism largely depends on the willingness and disposition of China and India and on how successfully Nepal will play its role.