Concern in Nepal over Indian visa conditions
This visa conundrum which India faces with Nepal is reflective of the state of India’s ties with its four neighbours involved. While its relations with Pakistan have bordered on hostility, India has worked hard with China to address the trust deficit after the Doklam row and to ensure that security concerns of either country are not undermined. It’s with Nepal though that the relationship seems precariously poised with Kathmandu appearing keen to upgrade its economic and defence ties with China.
Nepal authorities don’t seem particularly pleased with India’s visa restrictions on their citizens but have so far refrained from lodging a formal protest. However, as diplomatic sources said, the issue has been brought up in meetings with Indian officials. As is well known, Nepal citizens don’t require a visa to travel to India.
Given the nature of close India-Nepal ties, many in Kathmandu believe asking Nepali citizens flying in directly from China to seek visa is inappropriate. The fact that India and China have themselves been discussing cooperation in third countries in the region under the 2 + 1 formulation has not been lost on Nepal.
Around four years ago, India had asked airlines to ensure that no Nepali citizen was flown to India from China, Hong Kong and Macau without a valid Indian visa. Pakistan and the Maldives were added later to the list. India has now removed Maldives from the list and the only plausible reason is that it now feels more confident of its relationship with Male which until last year seemed firmly in China’s economic and security grip.
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References
from Times of India http://bit.ly/2xn6xw1
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