With K P Sharma Oli set to return as Nepal's Prime Minister, India's immediate concern is whether Oli, known for his pro-China stance in the past, will sign the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) implementation plan with China during his term.

K P Sharma Oli is poised to become Nepal's prime minister again after incumbent Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' failed to win a trust vote in Parliament on Friday. Prachanda had previously survived four such votes amidst frequent political turmoil in the Himalayan nation.

On Friday, Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) Chairman Oli presented his claim to lead a new majority government to President Ramchandra Paudel. He has the support of 165 lawmakers, including 77 from his own party and 88 from the Nepali Congress

Last month, Nepal, under P K Dahal Prachanda, refrained from signing the agreement when Chinese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Sun Weidong visited Kathmandu. Although Nepal joined the BRI in 2017, the implementation plan, which would facilitate over a dozen BRI projects, is still pending approval.

The CPN-UML and NC recently formed a power-sharing agreement, leaving Prachanda's government without a majority. Ideally, India would have preferred a coalition between Prachanda and NC, but government sources indicate that India is also willing to work with Oli.

Despite his alleged pro-China inclination and the controversy over Nepal's new map during his previous term, Oli has shown interest in strengthening ties with India. He recognizes India's potential role in Nepal's development. Rajan Bhattarai, the chief of CPN-UML's foreign policy department, stated this week that the party does not believe in promoting Nepal's progress through anti-India policies. Additionally, Oli's reliance on support from the pro-India NC, which insists that Nepal should accept only grants and not loans for BRI projects, will be a crucial factor.

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