Geography makes it necessary for Nepal to incline towards India, says General Rawat at Bimstec event in Pune

Nepal skipped the joint military exercise and is likely to participate in a military exercise with China soon, however, General Rawat said that the alliance with China is a ‘temporary’ thing.

Countries like Nepal and Bhutan have to be “inclined” towards India because of geography, said Chief of Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat on Sunday.

Giving the example of Pakistan and the US, army Chief General Bipin Rawat claimed that such ties were temporary and bound to change along with the scenario at the global level. (HT PHOTO)

He was speaking on the sidelines of the concluding ceremony of the Bay of Bengal initiative for multi-sectoral technical and economic cooperation (Bimstec) field military training exercise in Pune.

Nepal skipped the joint military exercise and is likely to participate in a military exercise with China soon, however, General Rawat said that the alliance with China is a ‘temporary’ thing. “Countries like Nepal and Bhutan have to be inclined to India because of geography. Geography favours inclination towards India and as far as alliance (with China) is concerned, it is a temporary thing,” he said.

Giving the example of Pakistan and the US, the general claimed that such ties were temporary and bound to change along with the scenario at the global level. “The best example of this is the relation between America and Pakistan. It is not the same as what it used to be 70-years ago. Therefore, we need not be bothered about all these issues. We need to concentrate on how to keep our country strong,” he said.

On the issue, minister of state for defence Shubhash Bhamre, said, “This was a phase where there was a change in command in Nepal and hence, they only sent in observers. We should not look at it in any other way.”

Replying to a query on whether the issue of illegal immigration would be added to the Bimstec discussion in future, the general said it was not a new phenomenon.

“Migration always happens from an economically weaker nation to a stronger nation. Therefore, equal growth is important. This phenomenon is not going to end unless there is equitable and good distribution of growth,” said Rawat.