Nepal’s new political establishment appears determined to redraw the rules of engagement with the outside world. The shift is subtle but unmistakable. Kathmandu is no longer eager to signal closeness either to New Delhi or Beijing, nor does it seem interested in the traditional choreography of diplomatic reassurance that has defined foreign policy for decades. This change reflects more than personality or political style. It is the product of a generational transition in Nepal’s politics.

A younger leadership, shaped less by Cold War anxieties and more by nationalist impatience with entrenched elites, is trying to assert a version of sovereignty that keeps foreign powers at visible distance. In principle, that instinct is understandable. Nepal’s political history is filled with accusations of external interference, elite dependency, and strategic manipulation by larger neighbours. Yet the danger lies in confusing diplomatic restraint with strategic autonomy. For a small, landlocked state situated between India and China, foreign policy cannot be conducted through symbolic detachment alone. Geography imposes realities that ideology cannot erase. Nepal’s economy depends heavily on imports, remittance flows, cross-border........

© The Statesman