This is the timeline of relevant events of Nepal-India relation. This article also touch relation with UK as the ruler of majority of Indian subcontinent until 1947 and Tibet-China as the frontier state. Events related to China-Tibet is in blue font.
Main Timeline
1768 Sep 25: The great king Prithvi Narayan Shah of Gorkha conquered "Kathmandu Kingdom of Nepal Valley" and established the base of modern united Nepal.
1788 - 1792: Nepal-China war on Tibet during the rule of Bahadur Shah (for King Rana Bahadur) in Nepal and Quing Empire in China. Nepal was defeated and forced to retreat from Tibet.
1814 - 1816: Anglo Nepal war and Sugauli Treaty:
1814 Oct: British forces started attack on Nepal, evantually in four central and western fronts: Danapur, Varanasi, Meerut and Ludhina.
1815 Dec 2: Treaty of Sugauli was signed by Nepal and British East India company and ratified in 1816 March 4. Nepal lost almost 1/3 of its land area to the company including all lands west of Mahakali River and east of Mechi river shaping the present east and west border of Nepal.
1817 Feb: Treaty of Titalia was signed between Kingdom of Sikkim and British East India Company which handed over all lands east of Mechi river that Nepal had lost in Sugauli treaty to Sikkim in condition of Sikkim accepting British protect status and allowing the trading and passage rights to Tibet for British.
1846 Sep: Jung Bahadur Kuwar became prime minister of Nepal starting his dynasty prime ministership that lasted for 104 years. This dynasty made good relationship with British rulers in India.
1852: Rana Prime Minister Jung Bahadur visited UK.
1855 - 1856: Nepal Tibet war: Rana PM Jung Bahadur declared war on Tibet on March 1855. Nepal defeated Tibet. Treaty of Thapathali was signed in 1856 March 24.
1857 May 10 - 1859 July 8: Indian rebellion of 1857
Nepal led by Rana Prime minister Jung Bahadur actively supported British Empire in Indian rebellion. Rebels were defeated. As a result Nepal got 4 westernmost terai districts back that Nepal had lost after Sugauli treaty. Present boundary of Nepal was finally reached.
As a result of rebellion, East India Company rule in the subcontinent was replaced by direct British rule known as "British Raj".
1908: Rana Prime Minister Chandra Sumsher visited UK.
1923 : Nepal made formal diplomatic relation with UK (ruler of India).
1947 Aug 15 : India & Pakistan (Aug 14th) got independence from the UK.
1950 July 31 : "Treaty of Peace and Friendship Between The Government of India and The Government of Nepal" was signed during the rule of last Rana prime minister of Nepal Mohan Shumsher JBR facilitating visa free entry to the people of both country into each other's.
1950 Nov - 1951 Feb : Democracy movement of Nepal & Delhi Accord:
King Tribhuvan of Nepal with his family took refuse in Indian embassy, Kathmandu on 1950 November to support armed rebellion conducted by Nepali Congress Party against hereditary Rana Prime ministership. On Nov 10 Royal family were taken to India by two Indian planes, they were welcomed in Delhi by Indian PM Jawahar Lal Nehru. Tripartite agreement known as "Delhi accord" made in Delhi between Ranas, Nepali congress party and King Tribhuban mediated by Government of India. King Tribhuvan returned to Nepal 1951 Feb 15.
1951 Feb 18 (2007 Falgun 7 BS): King Tribhuvan made historical proclamation about end of Rana rule, new government was formed taking members Rana family and Nepali Congress party.
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1955 March 13: King Tribhuvan died; King Mahendra ascended the throne of Nepal (coronated in May 2).
1955 : Nepal established diplomatic relationship with People's republic of China.
1956: New "Treaty of Thapathali" was signed between Nepal and China in which Nepal agreed to surrender all privileges and rights granted by the old Thapathali treaty (1856) and Nepal recognized China's sovereignty over Tibet.
1957 Feb 25-28: Chinese PM Zhou Enlai visited Nepal
1960 Oct: King Mahendra visited UK.
1960: USSR President Marshal Voroshilov visited Nepal
1960: Chinese PM Zhou En-lai visited Nepal for second time.
1960 Dec 15: King Mahendra suspended the constitution, dissolved the elected parliament and the cabinet, imprisoned the prime minister and other leaders, and imposed his direct rule in Nepal.
1972 Jan 31: King Mahendra died. Birendra became the new King of Nepal.
1972 Aug 24: BP Koirala started armed revolution against the Panchayati System from India.
1975 Feb 24: Coronation of King Birendra. He presented the proposal to recognize Nepal as a zone of peace. Eventually recognized by 116 countries except India.
1975 May 16 : India annexed Sikkim making it India's 22nd state.
1976 June: King Birendra visited China. Chine supported Nepal's zone of peace proposal.
1976 Dec 30: BP Koirala returned Nepal from India and arrested.
1980 May 2: Referendum (२०३६ सालको जनमत संग्रह) on non-partisan panchayat system or a multiparty system in Nepal. The panchayat system received a slim majority of 54.8%. Voter turnout was 66.9%.
1981 May/ June: Chinese PM Zhao Ziyang visited Nepal
1984 March 19: Chinese President Li Xiannian visited Nepal.
1989/1990: Indian official blockade of Nepal in 1989/1990
1987 Dec: India warned Nepal not to purchase antiaircraft gun from China.
1988 March: Nepal made a deal to purchase Chinese weapons
1988 July 22: Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi sent his foreign minister Natwar Singh to Nepal to urge not to purchase weapons again from China. King Birendra refused.
1989 March 23: Nepal-India Trade and transit treaty expired. India refused to renew. Since then India officially imposed blockade in Nepal until Apr 1990.
1989 Apr, May: Nepal bought fuel from China.
1989 Oct 5: Nepali foreign minister Sailendra Kumar Upadhya raised the issue of blockade in UN without mentioning India.
1989 Nov: Chinese PM Li Peng visited Nepal. In Kathmandu he said: "all countries, small or big, should be treated equally. Problems and disputes should be handled according to five principles of peaceful co-existence".
1990 Apr 8: upraising organized by Nepali Congress and Left alliance became successful, Panchayat System collapsed, King Birendra removed the ban on political parties.
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1990 Dec 9: King Birendra promulgated new constitution of Nepal.
1993 Mar 16: Madan Bhandari, leader of the influential 'Communist party of Nepal UML', killed in the road accident along with other leader Jeev raj Ashrit. Many believe in the conspiracy theory as they were murdered and link that with India. Only eyewitness of the scene car driver Amar Lama was killed by unidentified gunman in daylight 1:45 pm in Kirtipur in 2003 July 28.
2004 Mar 30: India arrested Nepali Maoist leader Mohan Baidya 'Kiran' from Siliguri. (li)
2005 Nov 22: 12-points agreement was signed in Delhi, India between "Seven Party alliance" and CPN-Maoist which facilitated Second Democracy movement in Nepal.
2007 Jan 15: Pratinidhi Sabha, the legislature of Nepal, was dissolved and replace by a new Interim legislature.
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(this topic will cover everything relevant. updating soon...)
List of Indian ambassadors to Nepal (source: IE Official page)
| List of Nepali ambassadors to India (source: NE official page)
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KOSHI RIVER, Flood, Dam
Saptakoshi is one of the 3 major river system in Nepal, other two being Gandaki/Narayani and Karnali. The main three tributary rivers of Sapta Koshi are Tamor, Arun & Sunkoshi which meet near Barahchhetra, Sunsari (@26.91, 87.16) and pass 10km long Chatra Gorge before entering terai plains of Nepal where is runs for about 25 kms before entering India. Kosi River joins Gange River after running 295km in Bihar, India.
Tributary rivers of Sun Koshi are: Dudh Koshi(@27.15, 86.43), Likhu (@27.25, 86.20), Tamakoshi (@27.35, 85.98) , Bhote Koshi (27.73, 85.78) and Indrawati (@27.64, 85.71) ranging from east to west. Barun river (@27.69, 87.36) is the tributary of Arun.
Normal water flow of Saptakosi is 25-30 thousand cusec. In rainy season it goes up to 250 thousand cusec creating regular flood every year. Sun Kosi contributes combined 44% of the total water in the Sapta Koshi River System, whereas Arun & Tamor contributes 37% and 19 % respectively.
Timeline
1897 Feb: British-Indian officials discussed about Kosi flood problem and concluded to need of a dam in chatara to control kosi river. In Feb 27 rana PM bir Shamsher permitted the construction but the plan did not carried forward for some reason.
1947 Apr: Indian energy minister announced to construct a 229-meter-tall high dam in barah chhetra during convention of kosi victim in India.
1953 dec 14: Gulzari Lal Nanda presented outline of future Kosi agreement in the Indian parliament.
1954 Apr 25: Nepal and India signed the Kosi agreement during Martika Prasad Koirala government in Nepal and JL Nehru gov in India. Mahabir Shamsher signed for Nepal and Gulzari lal Nanda signed for India. (link)
1959 April 30: King Mahendra inaugurated the barrage. It has 56 gates and its approx. 30 meter high.
1966 Dec 19: Koshi agreement revised. Signed by YP Pant (secretory, ministry of finance, Nepal) and Sriman Narayan (Indian ambassador in Nepal). (link)
1986: estimated life span 30-years of Kosi barrage expired.
1987: Flood in Bihar & Nepal by Kosi river. 1399 people killed in Bihar.
1991 Dec: PM Girija P Koirala made agreement about high dam during his visit in India.
2004: Flood in Bihar by Kosi, Kamal, Bagmati, Gandaki rivers killing 885 people.
2008 Aug: Flood in Southern Nepal and Bihar, India after eastern embankments of the Koshi Barrage collapsed. 434+ died in Bihar.
2014 Aug 2: landslide after heavy rainfall blocked Sunkoshi River forming an artificial lake in Sindhupalchok District, Nepal which create serious threat of flood in Koshi river. 156 people killed in landslide. Nepal army cleared it in 45 days with small blasts creating canal to pass the water.
2015 Aug 3: Koshi Bridge in Chatara of Sunsari District inaugurated (location: 26.855, 87.152). It is 261.3-meter-long and 7.5-meter wide. (link) It can be used as the alternative for Koshi Barrage.
2017 Aug: Flood in Southern Nepal & Bihar by heavy raining through Kosi & Kamala rivers. Over 100 killed in Nepal & 517+ killed in Bihar.
2017 Aug 24: India-Nepal is said to have understanding for the construction of Kosi high dam during the visit of PM Sher B Deuba. Point 28 of joint press conference stated so. (link)
**Sapt-Kosi High Dam
Uchcha bandh project is the high priority project for India for flood control in Bihar whereas Nepal is said to have less benefit from this. The proposed dam will be 269 meter high and 1 km long. But that will fill water in 200 sq km of Nepali land displacing 75,000 people.
**Kamala Multi-purpose Project
diversion of sunkosi river towards Kamala River has been the priority of Nepal instead of High dam. But India favors to start High dam project before Kamala diversion.
Link:
idsa : Revisiting the Kosi Agreement: Lessons for Indo-Nepal Water Diplomacy
Kathmandu post: PM inaugurates Koshi Bridge in Sunsari
blog.com.np: THE KOSHI DELUGE: A HISTORY OF DISASTER FOR NEPAL
indian embassy: The Koshi Agreement between Nepal & India (1954 Apr 25)
The hindu: Water in India-Nepal relations
India's Water Wealth - By K.L. Rao
annapurna post: samadhan hoina uchcha bandh
Tags: Bihar flood, Koshi Nadi, Kosi high dam, Nepal-India water relationship, Saptari, Sunsari, Kamala diversion project
Kalapani, Lipulekh, Limpiadhura
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India and Nepal both countries have agreed that Lipulekh Pass, Kalapani region and Limpiadhura region are DISPUTED territory.
Currently, there is an Indian Army base camp at Kalapani area, thus effective control is under India. Indian army first established its base in the Kalapani during the 1962 Sino-Indian war. Kalapani & Lipulekh pass has a geographic strategic advantage for the army.
Limpiadhura region is in the west of the Kalapani region. Since the Kalapani region falls in between, currently Nepal has no physical access into Limpiadhura from its territory. India controls this area.
1816 Sugauli treaty is the main factor that determines India-Nepal border in this region. According to the treaty, Kali river is the boundary between the two countries.
The mainstream of Kali river is in Limpiahura, whereas there are few other small substreams, one of which is in Kalapani. Nepal believes that the Kali river mentioned in the Sugauli treaty is the mainstream river that passes through the Limpiadhura. India agreed that in past, but now India argues that small tributary sub-streams east of its army base camp is the said Kali river.
Tension Timeline