World News | Nepal Army General Advocates 'due Space' for Military in Foreign Policy Decisions; Sparks Criticism

Kathmandu, Nov 10 (PTI) In an unusual move, a top Nepalese Army General has used the country's Army chief's first visit to India to advocate "due space" for the military in the Himalayan nation's foreign policy decisions.

Writing a column in The Kathmandu Post newspaper on Tuesday, Brigadier General Shantosh Ballave Poudyal emphasised that military diplomacy is increasingly becoming an essential part of a national effort for countries big and small.

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Poudyal, also the Army spokesperson, wrote that the Nepali Army is treating the ongoing visit of Gen Prabhu Ram Sharma to India “as a cornerstone of its military diplomacy; the same, however, cannot be said of the foreign service community that has been reluctant to adopt the term”.

His article titled 'In Defence of Military Diplomacy' coincides with the visit of Gen Sharma who was conferred with the honorary rank of 'General of the Indian Army' by President Ram Nath Kovind in New Delhi on Wednesday in continuation of an age-old tradition that started in 1950.

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Nepal conferred the honorary rank of 'General of Nepal Army' to Indian Army chief Gen MM Naravane during his visit to Kathmandu in November last year.

"This visit should not be viewed as a mere continuation of the symbolic tradition. Instead, it should be seized upon as an opportunity for constructive engagement to create a conducive environment for addressing bilateral issues," Poudyal wrote in the article.

He said it is a crucial instrument for Nepal that must be taken as complementary to official diplomacy. "It needs to be incorporated in policy processes and utilised fully because it has proven effective in the past and is increasingly becoming an essential part of a national effort for countries big and small,” he wrote.

"Since the two countries still have many unresolved issues and concerns, regular interaction and coordination is essential to avoid escalation, a function of diplomacy,” Poudyal wrote.

"It will be in the broader national interest to recognise the importance of military diplomacy and give it due space in the public policy sphere,” he underlines, calling for a greater role for the Nepalese military.

The article has generated some heat here at a time when efforts are being made to strengthen Nepal-India military ties.

"In a democratic country, the military should not publicly voice its inputs in the foreign policy matters," said Ramesh Chandra Pradhan, Central Member of the ruling coalition partner Janata Samajwadi Party when asked to comment on the article.

Yuganath Sharma Poudyal, senior journalist and editor of ABPNepal.com, said, "it is surprising to learn why Nepal Army wants to have a say in Nepal's diplomatic relations with a friendly neighbour.”

Talking to PTI over phone, Army spokesperson Brig Gen Poudyal later clarified that "the views expressed in the article do not represent the official view point of Nepal Army, nor does it reflect Nepal Army's policy as it is my personal opinion."

“I just tried to highlight the need for pursuing military diplomacy in Nepal's foreign policy,” he asserted. “We should also give some space to military diplomacy as well in the present context.”

Ties between India and Nepal came under severe strain after the K P Sharma Oli government last year published a new political map that showed three Indian territories - Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh - as part of the Himalayan nation.

After Nepal released the map, India reacted sharply, calling it a "unilateral act" and cautioning Kathmandu that such "artificial enlargement" of territorial claims will not be acceptable to it.

India said that Nepal's action violated an understanding reached between the two countries to resolve the boundary issues through talks.

The bilateral exchanges that had stalled due to the bitter boundary dispute were reset in the later part of 2020 with a series of high-level visits.

Gen Sharma on Tuesday held extensive talks with his Indian counterpart Gen MM Naravane during which they discussed ways to expand bilateral military cooperation in the backdrop of evolving security scenarios in the region.

He also separately met Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari with a broad focus on further boosting bilateral defence cooperation.

Gen Sharma's ongoing visit comes at a time when Nepal's foreign policy is under duress due to the change in the global strategic environment, Poudyal wrote in the article.

“Nepal is struggling against the headwind created by growing fissures in the India-China relationship, opening way for a realignment of the traditional strategic orientation,” he added.

Senior journalist Yugnath Poudyal said that Nepal cannot play the role of a referee in the India-China standoff. “It is none of our concern and anybody holding a responsible position should not express his or her views on the issue,” he added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)