India-Nepal ties slide amidst India and China holding talks to resolve standoffs

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 19

While India and China have been holding talks at military and diplomatic levels to resolve the standoffs on the land border, there has been no such initiative between New Delhi and Kathmandu.

The fall-out of the Ministry of External Affairs laying down red lines for talks with Nepal has been upping the ante by Baluwatar.

The Nepal Army has announced that it would build a helipad which would supply logistics to newly-built hutments along the Indo-Nepal border.

The declaration came soon after Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari signed the Constitution Amendment Bill to amend the political map to incorporate three areas, which are also claimed by India.

Even while the Bill was pending in the Upper House and the MEA had sought a dialogue, provided Nepal created conducive conditions, the Nepal Army built a new post 40 km before Kaalapani and deployed its personnel, the first time it was doing so.

Nepal has also upgraded a border outpost closer to Kalapani by providing arms to its security personnel. Nepal media highlighted a visit to the upgraded post by Nepal Army Chief of Staff Gen Purna Chandra Thapa.

The India-Nepal movement of persons has also become fraught, partly because of the lockdown that has out of bounds many crossing points and also because of the increased vigil by Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) on the Indian side and its counterparts on the Nepal side of the border.

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