Nepal's Maoist Prime Minister Makes Historic Visit to India

Nepal's new prime minister, who led a Maoist rebellion against the government, is on a five-day visit to India. Ahead of talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the former guerilla sounded very much like the capitalist in calling for India to make significant investments in Nepal. VOA Correspondent Steve Herman reports from New Delhi.

India and the now defunct royalist government of Nepal saw the Maoist insurgency, led by the man who is now prime minister, as a common security challenge.

That might be one reason why Prime Minister Dahal is calling for an end to recruitment of Nepali Gurkhas into the Indian Army. The Gurkhas have had a reputation as fierce warriors here since the early 19th century, when they were contracted by the British East India Company. There are about 40,000 Gurkhas serving in the Indian Army and paramilitary forces.

Indian military officials say, even if Nepal takes the unlikely step of banning service in the Indian military, it will not significantly affect the force, which has more than one-million personnel under arms.

Much of Nepal's establishment made a political alliance with the Maoists, in 2006 when then-King Gyanendra seized absolute power with an Army-backed coup. That brought peace, democratic elections which brought the Maoists to power and the abolition of the Hindu monarchy.