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Historical evidence of Nepal’s Foreign Policy and Diplomatic Challanges ahead

Ram Krishna Pokhare-

Prithvi Narayan Shah, who unified Nepal, laid the foundation.While adopting a balanced foreign policy, King Prithvi Narayan Shah prioritized relations with his two neighbors, then British India and Qing China.

During that time, Nepalese rulers even engaged in wars with the rulers of British India and Tibet-China while expanding their borders. In 1816, both countries British India and Nepal signed a treaty to determine and manage Nepal’s border with British India. During this treaty, Nepal was able to incorporate the present-day three districts of Banke, Bardiya, and Kanchanpur into its map as a new territory in the western region.

It was only after 1955, when Nepal gained membership in the United Nations, that it began to appear on the world map.

Around the 1960s, the world was bipolar – one was the American group called NATO, and the other was the Warsaw Pact, which was led by the then Soviet Union. During this bipolar world, countries that did not fit into either group organized themselves into the Non-Aligned Movement. Nepal was also part of this Non-Aligned Movement. After the dissolution of Soviet Russia in 1990, the relevance of this Non-Aligned Movement also ended. After 1990, following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, there was a perception among world leaders that the world had become unipolar. But with the passage of time, even before the unipolar world led by America could fully consolidate, the world has become multipolar. The reasons for this include the strong presence of the European Union group of European countries, similarly groups like BRICS comprising China, India, Russia, etc., and the strategic Quad group of India, America, Japan, and Australia.

As the world is currently dividing into multipolarity, Nepal is neither in the Non-Aligned Movement nor has it been able to establish its existence in the multipolar world. Nepal’s current rulers and administrators have failed to demonstrate diplomatic skill in the world context. Governments formed after the advent of the multiparty system have earned the epithet of ‘Aayaram Gyaram’ (unstable governments frequently changing sides). Due to these irresponsible governments, Nepal’s situation changed after the uprising of September 8 and 9 (Bhadra 23 and 24). Because of this uprising, the federal parliament elections have been advanced to Falgun 21, 2082 (March 05, 2026).

In Nepal, for the past 30 years, there has been competition in the federal parliament since 2048 BS ( 1990/91)   between two streams of political parties: communist-named parties and the liberal democratic party- Nepali Congress. In these 30 years, governments have changed 13 times. This signifies that governments in Nepal have been characterized by instability, and the same situation persists yet.

The general Nepali public is fully aware that amidst these unstable governments, diplomatic missions have been used to create ambassadorial positions to reward their own  fevoured  people who are  not in competence of handling deplomacy business. While there are a total of 25 foreign embassies in Nepal but Nepal has opened embassies in 32 countries. There are also permanent missions in more than 15 places. The officials in these embassies and permanent missions have no work, nor has the country been able to provide any direction. In this sense, almost all officials including the heads of Nepal’s diplomatic missions are suffering from depression. Considering the number of Nepal’s diplomatic missions, Nepal appears to be on par with developed countries. Nepali passport holders are quasi introgated and haressed by many country’s port of entry.  More than 90 countries do not allow  nepali to enter their countries without formal visa issued before their departure.

Generally, the main responsibility of Nepalese missions should be to bring economic investment into Nepal and create an environment to attract tourists to Nepal. Missions should also work to increase Nepal’s quota for labor demand in those countries, as well as manage the welfare and needs of workers. Reducing the current 32 embassies would be beneficial for Nepal. In recent years, Nepal has attracted only 63 million dollars (8.40 billion Nepali rupees) annually. While neighboring India attracts 81 billion dollars in foreign investment, Sri Lanka has succeeded in attracting 787 million US dollars annually. Even our neighbor Bhutan has attracted 2.40 billion US dollars in the last 10 years, achieving more than 5% annual economic growth. Bhutan has only 7 embassies worldwide.

Nepali missions must also create an environment to bring foreign investment as well as attract tourists of various levels to Nepal. Last year, about 1.158 million tourists visited Nepal. Among them, 25% were Indian, 9.7% American, and 8.2% Chinese. About 5% each came from Britain and Bangladesh. The remaining tourists from some European and Asian countries cannot be shown in percentages that are statistically significant.

With the government stuck in instability for the past 30 years, Nepal has neither been able to attract significant foreign investment nor tourists.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Nepal is on the verge of being blacklisted by the IMF, while foreign embassies opened in various places became tourist destinations for political leaders and ministers with influence. Which foreign minister succeeded in getting his name in the Guinness Book by keeping records of how many times he/she visited in one year? But neither investment came to Nepal, nor did significant numbers of tourists arrive from countries where Nepal has embassies and frequent visits of foreign minister.

In the current global geopolitical context, Nepal has neither been able to produce ministers with diplomatic skills nor appointed ambassadors with diplomatic acumen. Due to lack of capability, officials in diplomatic missions, ministers, and bureaucrats are all demotivated. There is a global geopolitical context, and Nepal has two giant neighbors, India and China. Nepal is certainly not in as comfortable a position as the countries of the Non-Aligned Movement formed in the 60s, having to minutely study the aspirations and desires of these two neighbors as well as the steps of western friendly countries. The Non-Aligned Movement is now in a moribund state. Because the Non-Aligned Movement no longer benefited Nepal in any means. The time has come to recommend treatment for those in Nepal’s diplomatic missions who have been depressed since earlier times, and to search for personalities who can understand regional geopolitical complexities and bring proficiency to foreign affairs work.

In the 21st century, through the use of AI, to guarantee Artificial Intellegence ( AI) governance and accountability. In addition to governance and accountability of AI it can be business model for country’s economic growth. Nepal’ s two gaint neighbours India and China competting in AI industries development. AI industries demands higher power supply in their production and management. Nepal has potential in hydropower development in one hand and other hand high deposit of natural gas of Western regional district Dailekh. Both industries can generate more than 700 TWh power annually. This power can help in thriving AI industries of both neighbours India and China. Thus Nepal can be the hub of AI industries in South Asian countries. Nepal government  must work strategically on the technical aspects of AI industries. Nepal can use AI anti – corruption model used by Albania for the delivery of basic services – health, education, safe drinking water an