Rethinking Nepal-India Relations

The relationship between Nepal and India has long been unique, shaped by shared cultural and religious ties, an open border regime, democratic governance and a history of cross-border kinship and cooperation. India remained a major destination for Nepali labor migration and higher education for a long time. Recruitment of Nepali youths into the Indian armed forces further reinforces bilateral relations while India’s contribution to Nepal’s democratic transition earned widespread respect. Cross-border marriages and family connections have historically strengthened this bond. These ‘roti- beti’, which signify deep cultural, social, and economic ties, factors collectively made India-Nepal relations not only strategically important but also a model of people-to-people connectivity. However, these traditional pillars of the bilateral relations are gradually weakening in recent years. While cultural and religious links are no longer as strong, younger Nepalis are increasingly heading to other countries for higher education and employment and the recruitment of Nepali youths into the Indian armed forces has effectively come to an end. In this changing reality, the two countries must now give bilateral relations a new boost by focusing on enhanced economic partnership, which can restore the missing links in the relationship.