event

Book talk - Kathmandu Dilemma: Resetting India-Nepal Ties

Wed. October 13th, 2021

Zoom Webinar

India and Nepal share a unique and complex relationship. In the past two decades, Nepal has gone through a dramatic socio-political transformation. India, a close neighbor, has been deeply associated with the developments in Nepal. The bilateral relationship between the two nations, in turn, has seen many changes. In his new book, 'Kathmandu Dilemma: Resetting India-Nepal Ties', former Indian ambassador, Ranjit Rae analyses the evolving India-Nepal relationship by drawing on diplomatic and personal experiences.

On October 13, we hosted Ranjit Rae, Akhilesh Upadhyay, and Suhasini Haidar for a discussion on the history, and potential future, of the India-Nepal relationship. The talk was moderated by Deep Pal.

event speakers

Ranjit Rae
Ranjit Rae is a former Indian ambassador to Nepal. He also headed the Northern Division in the Ministry of External Affairs, dealing with India’s Himalayan neighbours, Nepal and Bhutan, from 2002 to 2006. Since retirement, Rae has been involved in travelling, trekking and trying to make sense of the developments in Nepal.
Akhilesh Upadhyay
Akhilesh Upadhyay is a senior research fellow at IIDS, a Kathmandu-based think tank. He has 30 years of experience as a newspaper editor and political analyst, with a strong focus on geopolitics. He was the editor-in-chief with Nepal’s most respected English-language newspaper, The Kathmandu Post, for 10 years until 2018. Other than Nepal's leading papers, he writes for some major international publications, including The New York Times, Indian Express, and The Hindustan Times. He closely follows political developments in South Asia and what the rise of China means to the region, a topic that has been featured in a number of his articles and lectures.
Suhasini Haidar
Suhasini Haidar is the national editor and diplomatic affairs editor of The Hindu, one of India’s oldest and most respected national dailies.
Deep Pal
Visiting Scholar , Asia Program

event speakers

Ranjit Rae
Ranjit Rae is a former Indian ambassador to Nepal. He also headed the Northern Division in the Ministry of External Affairs, dealing with India’s Himalayan neighbours, Nepal and Bhutan, from 2002 to 2006. Since retirement, Rae has been involved in travelling, trekking and trying to make sense of the developments in Nepal.
Akhilesh Upadhyay
Akhilesh Upadhyay is a senior research fellow at IIDS, a Kathmandu-based think tank. He has 30 years of experience as a newspaper editor and political analyst, with a strong focus on geopolitics. He was the editor-in-chief with Nepal’s most respected English-language newspaper, The Kathmandu Post, for 10 years until 2018. Other than Nepal's leading papers, he writes for some major international publications, including The New York Times, Indian Express, and The Hindustan Times. He closely follows political developments in South Asia and what the rise of China means to the region, a topic that has been featured in a number of his articles and lectures.
Suhasini Haidar
Suhasini Haidar is the national editor and diplomatic affairs editor of The Hindu, one of India’s oldest and most respected national dailies.
Deep Pal
Visiting Scholar , Asia Program