Nepal joins Pakistan China and the Maldives as the problematic relationships that the Modi government has failed to sort out. India today has relatively problem-free relationship only with threeout of its seven neighbors.

And yet in Modi's foreign-policy compass as he pledged while on the 2014 campaign trail India's neighbors take the top priority.

The last weekend's developments in India-Nepal relations expose that what was perceived up until recently as the main bone of contention between New Delhi and Kathmandu constitutional rights of Madhesi communities of Indian origin living in Nepal is more a symptom than the real problem.

Simply put the real problem lies in the fact that the new government in Nepal formed last October under Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is not only not under India's control but is pushing ahead with an independent foreign policy.

Call it by any name the Indian agenda will only be viewed in the regional and world opinion as aimed at 'regime change' in Kathmandu with a view to ensure that the Nepalese political leadership will remain supplicants to New Delhi. It makes India seem a regional bully.

The backdrop of the weekend's developments has been an abortive coup attempt by the leader of the pro-India Nepali Congress leadership of Sher Bahadur Deuba to overthrow the Oli government soon after his return to Kathmandu after a week-long visit to New Delhi.

Deuba promised Nepali Congress support for a new coalition to be led by Maoist leader 'Prachanda' provided the latter withdrew support for Oli's government (which depends heavily on support from Maoists for survival.)

Interestingly a close aide to 'Prachanda' Krishna Bahadur Mahara also visited New Delhi in Aprilimmediately after Deuba's consultations with his Indian mentors.

Initially 'Prachanda' took the bait and threatened to withdraw support for Oli's coalition government but he has had a rethink when it transpired that his own party militated against such a move that could play into Indian hands.

This in turn has given Oli the respite to 'counter-attack'. He struck in four directions in the weekend:

Suffice to say the weekend developments highlight a complete breakdown of trust between Kathmandu and New Delhi. Oli believes that Modi government is systematically destabilizing his government to have it replaced by a new pro-Indian set-up that includes Nepali Congress as a constituent while the Modi government has apparently written Oli's political obituary already.

Indeed an editorial comment by Pioneer a pro-government daily newspaper from New Delhi which reflects the thinking in the ruling circles exudes the confidence that the 'regime change' agenda vis-a-vis Oli is in top gear even if he won Round 1 by the skin of his teeth. The editorial says with absolute certainty:

The above authoritative opinion suggests that a game of musical chairs has begun in Kathmandu politics where New Delhi will be the master of ceremony orchestrating the fun and frolic.

But then is it in India's interests to create political instability in Nepal? Or is Oli's exit going to serve India's interests?

The point is a tsunami of 'anti-Indian' feelings is sweeping over Nepal which is an accumulation through decades of flawed Indian policies and it seems improbable that any elected government in Kathmandu reflecting the popular will can afford to be seen kowtowing to India.

For India which is coping with a million mutinies at home and struggling with its own development agenda a stable external environment ought to be the number one priority.

But sections within the Indian establishment and the ruling elites may be calculating that it is a cost-effective way of keeping Nepal in the Indian orbit by simply destabilizing that country and keeping it weak and subservient.

They probably feel bullish that Indian agencies can easily finance the political horse-trading in Kathmandu and are also not lacking in experience to undermine and overthrow elected governments. (Ironically in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand bordering Nepal a similar steamy drama of political chicanery is right now playing out.)