NEW DELHI: India is awaiting the outcome of the March 5 general elections in Nepal to reset its frosty ties with the Himalayan nation.
Beyond the political stakes, India is eager to revive discussions about sharing river water and rainfall data to manage flood disasters, officials said.
Unlike Bangladesh and Pakistan, India is a lower riparian state with respect to Nepal, which complicates its position in negotiations with neighbouring countries. With Nepal, India shares rivers like the Kosi, Gandak, and Mahakali, which have substantial hydropower potential that remains largely untapped.
“We are waiting for the election outcomes in Nepal before making any decisions regarding the river water agreement,” said a senior official familiar with the developments.
The frosty relations between the two countries escalated during the last monsoon when Nepal ceased sharing rainfall data with India, which hampered India’s flood management efforts in Bihar and UP.
“In July last year, we were surprised to find that Nepal had hidden its rain gauge datasheets from its website,” said Prashant Kumar, superintendent engineer of the Bihar water resource department.
“We rely on accurate rainfall data from the Nepal side to plan our flood disaster management in the region. While we managed to cope with the situation thanks to the India Meteorological Department’s real-time rainfall forecasts for Nepal, it was still challenging,” he said.
Strained relations have hindered discussions about tapping the hydropower potential of the rivers. India has remained silent on Nepal’s proposal for regular meetings to discuss the detailed project report (DPR) for the Pancheshwar dam on the Mahakali.
According to the agreement, experts’ teams from both countries are supposed to meet twice a year to discuss the DPR. No meetings have, however, taken place in over two and a half years.
India and Nepal have established several treaties and institutional arrangements to address water resource management. The Treaty of Peace and Friendship (1950), although primarily political, laid a broad foundation for cooperation between two countris, including infrastructural development and mutual assistance.
The Kosi Agreement (1954, revised 1966) is designed to address recurring floods caused by the river. The agreement facilitated construction of the Kosi barrage at Bhimnagar, flood management measures and embankment systems, and Irrigation and power development benefits for both countries. Gandak Agreement (1959, revised 1964) is aimed to harness the Gandak river through construction of a barrage and canals. It seeks to ensure irrigation benefits for both the countries, and joint responsibility for maintenance and water regulation.
In 2020, Nepal issued a new official map that included Indian territories—Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura—sparking a diplomatic crisis between the countries. Furthermore, Nepal’s increasing alignment with China for trade has exacerbated tensions. India is prioritising discussions on transboundary rivers.