In what seems a change of stance driven possibly by the current domestic political situation, Nepal's Prime Minister K P Oli has said that he had "resolved” misunderstandings with India, and the two countries should move forward. 

“There were misunderstandings at one time, but now those misunderstandings are gone. We should not be stuck in past misunderstandings but move forward looking at the future. We have to pursue a positive relationship,” Oli said in an interview to BBC. 

Earlier, in 2020, the Oli government sparked a major diplomatic tussle with India by publishing a new map that included territories controlled by India. Later, a series of visits by high-ranking officials showed signs of reducing tensions. 

“Neighbours share both love and problems. Don’t people in Chile or Argentina have a problem?” Oli said in the interview to BBC. He further added India should extend full cooperation to Nepal. “That doesn’t mean I haven’t got help from India,” Oli said. 

On the Covid assistance Nepal received from its two neighbors, Oli said, “On one hand, China has given us 1.8 million vaccines and on the other, India has given 2.1 million vaccines. The Covid-19 assistance shouldn’t be politicized, he added.

Earlier, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, during his visit to India in January 2020, said that the two countries had a common commitment to resolve issues. 

Significantly, this is the first time that Oli adopted such a conciliatory  tone towards India. Unsurprisingly, the change came at a time when he is struggling to stay in power in Nepal. His government lost the majority in parliament which was later dissolved-- for the second time in the last six months-- by the country’s president. 

House dissolution has been challenged in the country’s apex court. 

But something changed between the two dissolutions as parliament saw Oli's popularity nosedive following the second wave of Covid-19.  And if everything goes well the country will have general elections in November.