Is India sending Nepal into China’s arms?
Nepal recently formalized a new constitution. Under this constitution, ‘Madhesis’, or Nepalese of Indian origin have been ignored. As a mark of protest, they have blocked India’s borders with Nepal on both sides.
This blockade has led to a severe fuel shortage in the landlocked erstwhile Hindu Kingdom, as India has been Nepal’s sole fuel source. To get over the crisis, and to not have a single source for fuel, Nepal is mulling importing fuel from China using their newly opened border at Tatopani, and creating a bulk fuel dump there.
According to Kathmandu Post, a Nepalese newspaper, the Nepalese Commerce Ministry has communicated with the Nepal Oil Corporation to find alternative fuel sources, due to “Indian Government’s unofficial blockade…”