HYDROPOWER AND CRICKET
Shah has spoken little since coming to power, and issued his victory message in a rap song, where he promised to “run like a leopard” to ensure his nation’s success.
The visit takes place as a long-running border controversy resurfaced, over Nepali territorial claims to the Lipulekh Pass, where India, China and Nepal meet.
The icy 5,334m pass has been used by Indian pilgrims to visit Mount Kailash – sacred to Hindus and Tibetan Buddhists, but also connects India to China directly.
In 2020, protests erupted in Nepal after India inaugurated a new road leading to the pass.
On Sunday, Shah said in parliament that both India and Nepal had “encroached” on each other’s territory, and said they should “resolve the issue as friends”. The comments sparked uproar in Kathmandu’s parliament.
Analysts say Lamichhane’s visit could help renew ties.
“There has been a vacuum of political dialogue between Nepal and India for a while,” Kathmandu-based foreign affairs analyst Chandra Dev Bhatta said.
“So this visit is a positive step towards opening engagements and clearing any misunderstandings.”
Lamichhane said that Nepal could offer energy-hungry India hydropower from its many dams on rivers running off the Himalayas.
“Nepal’s hydropower potential is no longer just a domestic asset; it is a clean, green engine capable of powering the industrial corridors of a rising India,” he wrote.
He also noted that Nepal shared the same love of cricket as India, with fans watching the just-completed Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 tournament.
“We have also been deeply contemplating how Nepali players and Nepali stadiums can be integrated into the IPL franchise,” he said.
Nepal are cricketing minnows – but came within a nail-biting single ball of one of the biggest upsets in T20 World Cup history in February, when they lost to England by only four runs.
