1. EFFECTIVE DIPLOMACY TO TAP THE
“UNTAPPED MIGHT OF THE HIMALAYAS”
Keshav Prasad Bhattarai
In a stupefying article “The Untapped Might of the Himalayas” Stanley A. Weiss in ‘The New York
Times’ on May 11, 2005 had asked a pertinent question : ‘what do have the common- among Nepal's
brutal Maoist rebellion, India's violence-wracked northeastern states, China's global energy race
with India, warming ties between Pakistan and India and Bangladesh's increasing Islamic
extremism? And the single word answer Weiss gave was the “Water”.
Further he said „thousands of glacier-fed rivers of Nepal and Bhutan could serve as the centerpiece
of a long-term regional energy strategy promoting stability and prosperity across South Asia‟.
According to UN Secretary General “Energy is the golden thread that connects economic growth,
increased social equity and an environment that allows the world to thrive” but unfortunately one
fifth of the world population live without access to electricity and the three billion people have to
rely on wood, coal, charcoal or animal waste for their household fuel need.
What could be termed as energy poverty has forced billions to darkness, ill health and missed
opportunities without a descent condition of living.
Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma was quoted by South Asian News Agency in February 18,
2012 stating “India, Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan have a combined hydropower potential of 200 GW (1
GW = 1000 MW), of which more than three-quarters is yet to be harnessed.”
Sharma‟s visit – the first of an Indian commerce minister in 30 years, emphasized for a cost-
effective power supply to retain their competitiveness in manufacturing and proposed for a $ 3
billion trans-national power grid across South Asia critical to ensure energy security in the region
and help substantial cost saving. Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar told the Nepali journalists at
the end of Global Bihar Summit 2012 that Nepal can become the richest country of South Asia if it
exploits its water resources and manages the Himalayan Rivers that flow through Nepal and India.
And Nepal‟s Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai inaugurating the very Global Bihar Summit in
Patna on February 17 not only mentioned the need for harnessing the huge hydro power potential
for mutual benefit but also highlighted on the “tremendous scope for joint-venture investments on
both sides”.
Besides, South Asia as one of the least integrated region in the world living with dismal situation of
poor infrastructures along the border regions of the countries has left the region infested with
poverty, communal strife and terrorism.

2. To get rid of these entire odd situation, in the words of a former Indian finance and foreign
minister Jaswant Singh had his own prescription: South Asia needs a “grand accord that
reconciles”the deepest national security interests of all powers in place of “today‟s frozen regional
diplomacy”.
ENSURE SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FOR ALL OR FACE PROLONGED WAR SITUATIONS
Whatever change may take place in global scenario– the global population will continue to grow, more
wealth will be produced and more and more energy will be needed to satisfy the ever increasing size
of the global economy. All this amply indicates that if diplomacy and foreign policy of all major and
smaller powers is not be woven around satisfying their energy needs and sustain their prosperity,
there will be more conflicts within states and among states.
Hydroelectricity however coupled with some impending ecological risks is obviously the best option
for the cheapest and environmental friendly source of our energy need. Therefore many Nordic and
South American countries are almost completely dependent on hydro power for their energy
requirements.
According to „Green World Investor’ Venezuela, Norway and Paraguay are almost 100% dependent on
hydro power. Paraguay also exports massive portion of its hydro power to neighboring countries.
Brazil, Switzerland, New Zealand are some other countries with a very high percentage of hydro
power. China has the largest installed hydroelectricity capacity in the world with 200 Giga Watts
followed by Canada, USA, Brazil, Russia, India, Norway, Japan and Venezuela.
Energy markets define global market necessitating clean, efficient as well as advanced energy
saving technologies. In this bid United Nations under the initiation of Ban Ki-moon has formed a
High Level Group representing governments, business, investors and civil society to solve the global
energy crisis, uphold global growth engine and ensure sustainable energy for all.
The “Ban Ki-moon Initiative” has three goals – “ensuring universal access to modern energy services,
doubling the rate of improvement in energy efficiency, and doubling the share of renewable energy
in the global energy mix.”
As estimated by the World Bank there will be 50 percent increase in world population by 2050 and
the size of the world economy will be three times bigger than it is now. According to HSBC the 19
of the 30 largest economies will be emerging economies with China as the largest and India the
third largest economy in 2050. The collective size of those emerging economies will be bigger than
the developed economies.
However the energy need and energy security of these emerging economies will put the global order
under continuous stress and threat of war. China‟s rising rivalry with its neighbors in the South
China Sea with its potential oil reserve has exposed the region with new geopolitical frictions.
Heavy Chinese dependence upon Arab oil and its huge oil tankers passing through a long sea route
under U.S. and Indian navy‟s surveillances has forced China go through a "string of pearls" naval
strategy across the Indian Ocean encircling India from Gwadar in Pakistan to Sittwe in Myanmar
and Chittagong in Bangladesh. China‟s new aircraft carrier and fleets of advanced submarines with

3. advanced weaponries that is claimed to have outnumbered US submarines in the region would play
a defining role if China feels its oil route risked.
EFFECTIVE DIPLOMACY TO TAP THE “UNTAPPED MIGHT OF THE HIMALAYAS”
Hydro-electric potential of China and South Asia exceeds 400 GW and that if developed in a
combined strategy can satisfy the major energy need of all these countries. More than energy
security it will unleash forces of trust and good will that ultimately will promote stability and huge
prosperity across South Asia and inner parts of China fallen behind.
Apparently, South Asia and China has been suffering from the tyranny of history, geography and
global power balances. This has left South Asia as the least integrated region of the world. A World
Bank publication (South Asia – Growth and Regional Integration) says that South Asia is a relatively
new comer to global integration and “History shows that a successful regional integration is often
preceded by global integration”. But regional integration as the child of regional cooperation comes
across with sustained growth and development, reducing mistrusts and conflicts among partners.
Regional cooperation can also play a vital role in addressing the problems of energy needs of the
region.
South Asia is not only least integrated, the parts of the South Asian countries are equally
isolated geographically, politically, economically and psychologically. For example North East India,
Kashmir, Northern Bangladesh, outlying mountainous as well as Himalayan region in Nepal, North
West Pakistan and Northern Sri Lanka are suffering from poor level connectivity with the national
mainstream and are developing a sense of isolation reflected adversely in internal politics to cross
border relations.
Therefore regional cooperation in trade and transport and proper management of cross border
resources in these far-flung parts of the South Asian countries will open new era of mutual trust
that will minimize conflicts and frictions and in end result give rich dividends to the hydropower
development of the region.
Therefore, beginning from the strategic partnership between China and India on the development
and joint management of Himalayan waters could pave the way for larger power development
projects in South Asia.
But India as a global leader has yet to play a lead role in addressing the sensitivities of its smaller
neighbors and their legitimate interests on water resources. India‟s small neighbors like Nepal find
easy in licking sometimes its self inflected and at times India inflected wounds followed by its size
complex and anti Indian nationalism. However it must not be forgotten that India since its
independence has not only failed to nurture democratic stability in South Asia but its
highhandedness in the domestic affairs of its smaller neighbors has paved ways for anti democratic
and destabilizing forces win power and glamour and also finds easy to deal with them.

4. Undeniably, India as the largest country of South Asia also has the largest stakes in regional
cooperation in trade and hydropower development. Fukushima tragedy has exhibited that nuclear
power can never be a safe and sustainable option for energy need of any country. Consequently if a
joint venture from all SAARC countries, China and some highly credible multinational companies
from West is instituted to tap the hydropower potential of South Asia‟s Himalayan region, it will
undoubtedly supply safe energy and bring cherished prosperity to South Asia and China. This way
when the largest population center of the world is integrated and opened to the global markets, it
will also work as a push factor to the developed economy of the world.
I would like to quote Ban Ki-moon again –“By working together, by dedicating our energies and
resources to our common cause, we have the chance today to set a new course for generations to
come. We can create the future we want.”
kpbnepal@gmail.com
‘The reporter’ weekly (February 27- March 4) 2012
www.thereporter.com.np