Nepal Earthquake: Indian Humanitarian Efforts

The Indian Prime Minister is often pilloried for the excesses of his right wing brethren; perhaps, rightly so. However the remarkable alacrity with which Modi initiated relief efforts in neighbouring Nepal, hit by a devastating earthquake, has not got the kudos it richly deserved.

Earthquake hit our northern neighbour on Saturday & Indian relief material reached the country by the same evening. China responded the next day while international organizations like Oxfam have their people on board aircrafts yesterday to get a first-hand account necessary to plan the relief efforts.

While disaster is not the right time to discuss geo-politics, it is inevitable considering the high stakes game being played in the region. Chinese influence in Nepal has been steadily on the rise; Nepal along with Pakistan, & Sri Lanka, during the last SAARC summit, insisted on Chinese entry into the association, which India vetoed. While a change in Pak's stance is unlikely, the change of the govt. in Sri Lanka has brought about a more balanced outlook of that country towards India; it is Nepal’s turn, now, to be influenced.

China had always played the Nepalese royal family against India while the Nepali Congress Party has largely been pro- India. After the transition to democracy, China,  helped the communist rebels to strengthen their position in the state so much so that they landed in government. Chinese willingness to fund infrastructure, including the road linkage planned between Tibet & Nepal, would spell a further integration of Nepal into the Chinese embrace, much to India’s chagrin. Indian humanitarian effort is therefore a measure of the Indian soft power at play.

There are 1.25 lakh Indian retired Gorkha soldiers, currently settled in Nepal whose help is being sought to ensure last mile connectivity. The relief efforts of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) – an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayansevak Sangh (RSS) - & Baba Ramdev’s organization shall further buttress the efforts of the Indian government. Hopefully, this shall generate more goodwill for India, which shall force the hands of the country’s political masters to take a more pro- India stance.