Foreign relations of Nepal

Though the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is the government agency responsible for conducting the foreign relations of Nepal, historically, it has been the Office of the Prime Minister (PMO) that has exercised the authority to formulate the country's foreign policies. As a landlocked country wedged between two larger and far stronger powers, Nepal has tried to maintain good relations with both of its neighbors, People's Republic of China and Republic of India. However, the relationship between Nepal and India was significantly hampered by the 2015 Nepal blockade when the Government of Nepal accused India of mimicking "Russia-Ukraine" tactics by using ethnically Indian residents of Nepal to cause unrest along Nepal's southern border. India denied the allegations. For the most part though, Nepal has traditionally maintained a non-aligned policy and enjoys friendly relations with its neighboring countries and almost all the major countries of the world.

Overview

Constitutionally, Nepal's foreign policy is to be guided by "the principles of the United Nations Charter, nonalignment, Panchsheel (five principles of peaceful coexistence), international law and the value of world peace."

Nepal's most substantive international relations are perhaps with international economic institutions such as the Asian Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. Nepal also has strong bilateral relations with major providers of economic and military aid, such as France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, the United States, and particularly the United Kingdom, with whom military ties date back to the nineteenth century. The country's external relations are managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister's Office.

In its foreign policy, Nepal generally seeks to balance its relations with its large neighbors India and China in order to avoid dependency on either one.Template:Rp Nepal's relation with China has seen a major upswing in the recent years with China now becoming Nepal's top 5 aid donor to Nepal. In 2021, Indian government also announced increments of aid to Nepal by nearly 13% to $130 million, to counter China's growing footprint in Nepal. However, data on the actual disbursement of aid by the Indian government remains unclear.

International disputes

Nepal joined the UN in 1955. The Nepalese map filed at the UN in 1955 was accepted without any disputes by any other UN member. Both India and China without any objections, accepted the map of Nepal filed at the UN in 1955 while Nepal's third neighbor, Kingdom of Sikkim was not a member of the UN.

However, with degradation of relations between India and China during late 1950s, Indian government initiated a 'Forward Policy' along its northern frontiers which resulted in Indian military outposts being built in all unmanned areas along India's northern border. Successive Nepali government's from 1990 onwards, have continued their objection to Indian occupation of certain Nepali territories under the guise of India's 'Forward Policy'. A joint border commission continues to work on resolving the issue of removal of Indian military outpost from Nepal's Kalapani territory. Template:As of, Nepal has border disputes with India at Lipulekh and Kalapani between Darchula district and Uttarakhand, and at Susta bordering Bihar's Nawalpur district. In 2018, EPG (Eminent Persons Group), a joint committee between Nepal and India finished a report on the disputed territories between these two countries. The report is yet to be submitted to the head of governments of both countries.

International trade

Nepal has been a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) since 11 September 2003 and on 24 January 2017 became the 108th WTO member to ratify the WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement.

Diplomatic relations

List of countries which Nepal maintains diplomatic relations with:

File:Diplomatic relations of Nepal.svg
#	Country	Date
1	Template:Country data United Kingdom	Template:DTS
2	Template:Country data United States	Template:DTS
3	Template:Country data India	Template:DTS
4	Template:Country data France	Template:DTS
5	Template:Country data China	Template:DTS
6	Template:Country data Russia	Template:DTS
7	Template:Country data Japan	Template:DTS
8	Template:Country data Switzerland	Template:Dts
9	Template:Country data Sri Lanka	Template:DTS
10	Template:Country data Egypt	Template:DTS
11	Template:Country data Germany	Template:DTS
12	Template:Country data Austria	Template:DTS
13	Template:Country data Italy	Template:DTS
14	Template:Country data Serbia	Template:DTS
15	Template:Country data Poland	Template:DTS
16	Template:Country data Thailand	Template:DTS
17	Template:Country data Czech Republic	Template:Dts
18	Template:Country data Malaysia	Template:DTS
19	Template:Country data Greece	Template:DTS
20	Template:Country data Philippines	Template:DTS
21	Template:Country data Australia	Template:DTS
22	Template:Country data Myanmar	Template:DTS
23	Template:Country data Pakistan	Template:DTS
24	Template:Country data Netherlands	Template:DTS
25	Template:Country data Laos	Template:DTS
26	Template:Country data Israel	Template:DTS
27	Template:Country data Sweden	Template:DTS
28	Template:Country data Indonesia	Template:DTS
29	Template:Country data Mongolia	Template:DTS
30	Template:Country data Hungary	Template:DTS
31	Template:Country data New Zealand	Template:DTS
32	Template:Country data Afghanistan	Template:DTS
33	Template:Country data Argentina	Template:DTS
34	Template:Country data Chile	Template:DTS
35	Template:Country data Turkey	Template:DTS
36	Template:Country data Lebanon	Template:DTS
37	Template:Country data Belgium	Template:DTS
38	Template:Country data Iran	Template:DTS
39	Template:Country data Canada	Template:DTS
40	Template:Country data Jordan	Template:DTS
41	Template:Country data Denmark	Template:DTS
42	Template:Country data Bulgaria	Template:DTS
43	Template:Country data Romania	Template:DTS
44	Template:Country data Algeria	Template:DTS
45	Template:Country data Spain	Template:DTS
46	Template:Country data Iraq	Template:DTS
47	Template:Country data Singapore	Template:DTS
48	Template:Country data Sudan	Template:DTS
49	Template:Country data Syria	Template:DTS
50	Template:Country data Ethiopia	Template:DTS
51	Template:Country data Kuwait	Template:DTS
52	Template:Country data Bangladesh	Template:DTS
53	Template:Country data Albania	Template:DTS
54	Template:Country data Norway	Template:DTS
55	Template:Country data North Korea	Template:DTS
56	Template:Country data South Korea	Template:DTS
57	Template:Country data Finland	Template:DTS
58	Template:Country data Tanzania	Template:DTS
59	Template:Country data Morocco	Template:DTS
60	Template:Country data Cuba	Template:DTS
61	Template:Country data Cambodia	Template:DTS
62	Template:Country data Vietnam	Template:DTS
63	Template:Country data Kenya	Template:DTS
64	Template:Country data Mexico	Template:DTS
65	Template:Country data Luxembourg	Template:DTS
66	Template:Country data Nigeria	Template:DTS
67	Template:Country data Libya	Template:DTS
68	Template:Country data Peru	Template:DTS
69	Template:Country data Brazil	Template:DTS
70	Template:Country data Portugal	Template:DTS
71	Template:Country data Bahrain	Template:DTS
72	Template:Country data Oman	Template:DTS
73	Template:Country data Qatar	Template:DTS
74	Template:Country data United Arab Emirates	Template:DTS
75	Template:Country data Saudi Arabia	Template:DTS
76	Template:Country data Costa Rica	Template:DTS
77	Template:Country data Maldives	Template:DTS
78	Template:Country data Cyprus	Template:DTS
79	Template:Country data Mauritius	Template:DTS
80	Template:Country data Iceland	Template:DTS
81	Template:Country data Bhutan	Template:DTS
—	Template:Country data Holy See	Template:DTS
82	Template:Country data Malta	Template:DTS
83	Template:Country data Brunei	Template:DTS
84	Template:Country data Panama	Template:DTS
85	Template:Country data Tunisia	Template:DTS
86	Template:Country data Somalia	Template:DTS
87	Template:Country data Zimbabwe	Template:DTS
88	Template:Country data Gabon	Template:DTS
89	Template:Country data Yemen	Template:DTS
90	Template:Country data Fiji	Template:DTS
91	Template:Country data Zambia	Template:DTS
92	Template:Country data Mozambique	Template:DTS
93	Template:Country data Nicaragua	Template:DTS
94	Template:Country data Seychelles	Template:DTS
95	Template:Country data Venezuela	Template:DTS
96	Template:Country data Colombia	Template:DTS
97	Template:Country data Bolivia	Template:DTS
98	Template:Country data Estonia	Template:DTS
99	Template:Country data Latvia	Template:DTS
100	Template:Country data Ukraine	Template:DTS
101	Template:Country data Armenia	Template:DTS
102	Template:Country data Kyrgyzstan	Template:DTS
103	Template:Country data Belarus	Template:DTS
104	Template:Country data Moldova	Template:DTS
105	Template:Country data Slovakia	Template:DTS
106	Template:Country data Guyana	Template:DTS
107	Template:Country data South Africa	Template:DTS
108	Template:Country data Azerbaijan	Template:DTS
109	Template:Country data Slovenia	Template:DTS
110	Template:Country data North Macedonia	Template:DTS
111	Template:Country data Croatia	Template:DTS
112	Template:Country data Ireland	Template:DTS
113	Template:Country data Bosnia and Herzegovina	Template:DTS
114	Template:Country data Lithuania	Template:DTS
115	Template:Country data San Marino	Template:DTS
116	Template:Country data Tajikistan	Template:DTS
117	Template:Country data Georgia	Template:DTS
118	Template:Country data Turkmenistan	Template:DTS
119	Template:Country data Ecuador	Template:DTS
120	Template:Country data Paraguay	Template:DTS
121	Template:Country data Guatemala	Template:DTS
122	Template:Country data Honduras	Template:DTS
123	Template:Country data Vanuatu	Template:DTS
124	Template:Country data Andorra	Template:DTS
125	Template:Country data Democratic Republic of the Congo	Template:DTS
126	Template:Country data Haiti	Template:DTS
127	Template:Country data Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Template:DTS
128	Template:Country data Dominican Republic	Template:DTS
129	Template:Country data Botswana	Template:DTS
130	Template:Country data Mali	Template:DTS
131	Template:Country data Lesotho	Template:DTS
132	Template:Country data Montenegro	Template:DTS
133	Template:Country data Solomon Islands	Template:DTS
134	Template:Country data Monaco	Template:DTS
135	Template:Country data Uruguay	Template:DTS
136	Template:Country data Mauritania	Template:DTS
137	Template:Country data Tuvalu	Template:DTS
138	Template:Country data Samoa	Template:DTS
139	Template:Country data Papua New Guinea	Template:DTS
140	Template:Country data Kazakhstan	Template:DTS
141	Template:Country data Jamaica	Template:DTS
142	Template:Country data Guinea	Template:DTS
143	Template:Country data El Salvador	Template:DTS
144	Template:Country data Uganda	Template:DTS
145	Template:Country data Ivory Coast	Template:DTS
146	Template:Country data Djibouti	Template:DTS
147	Template:Country data Antigua and Barbuda	Template:DTS
148	Template:Country data Cape Verde	Template:DTS
149	Template:Country data Liberia	Template:DTS
150	Template:Country data Niger	Template:DTS
151	Template:Country data Eritrea	Template:DTS
152	Template:Country data Bahamas	Template:DTS
153	Template:Country data Liechtenstein	Template:DTS
154	Template:Country data Angola	Template:DTS
155	Template:Country data Burkina Faso	Template:DTS
156	Template:Country data Benin	Template:DTS
157	Template:Country data Uzbekistan	Template:DTS
158	Template:Country data Saint Kitts and Nevis	Template:DTS
159	Template:Country data Burundi	Template:DTS
160	Template:Country data Rwanda	Template:DTS
161	Template:Country data Madagascar	Template:DTS
162	Template:Country data Suriname	Template:DTS
163	Template:Country data Togo	Template:DTS
164	Template:Country data Equatorial Guinea	Template:DTS
165	Template:Country data Eswatini	Template:DTS
166	Template:Country data Saint Lucia	Template:DTS
167	Template:Country data Ghana	Template:DTS
168	Template:Country data Dominica	Template:DTS
169	Template:Country data Gambia	Template:DTS
170	Template:Country data Sierra Leone	Template:DTS
171	Template:Country data Barbados	Template:DTS
172	Template:Country data Timor-Leste	Template:DTS
173	Template:Country data Palau	Template:DTS
174	Template:Country data South Sudan	Template:DTS
175	Template:Country data Belize	Template:DTS
176	Template:Country data Trinidad and Tobago	Template:DTS
177	Template:Country data Malawi	Template:DTS
178	Template:Country data Nauru	Template:DTS
179	Template:Country data Cameroon	Template:DTS
180	Template:Country data Marshall Islands	Template:DTS
181	Template:Country data Tonga	Template:DTS
182	Template:Country data Kiribati	Template:Dts

Bilateral relations

Bangladesh

Nepal welcomed Bangladesh's independence on 16 January 1972. The turning point for the two nations occurred in April 1976, when the two nations signed, a four-point agreement on technical cooperation, trade, transit and civil aviation. They both seek cooperation in the fields of power generation and development of water resources. In 1986, relations further improved when Bangladesh insisted Nepal should be included on a deal regarding the distribution of water from the Ganges River. Also recently Nepal and Bangladesh had signed MOU's that Nepal would sell 10,000 MW of electricity to Bangladesh once its larger projects are completed.

Bhutan

Template:FlagiconTemplate:Flagicon Relations with Bhutan have been strained since 1992 over the nationality and possible repatriation of refugees from Bhutan.

Canada

Many Nepalese politicians and government officials criticized Canadian diplomats in the aftermath of the Kabul attack on Canadian Embassy guards in which the majority of victims were Nepalese citizens. Members of Parliament were among those who were critical of the way that Canada treated its security contractors at the embassy, leading to meetings in Ottawa between Nepalese and Canadian diplomats, including ambassador Nadir Patel.

China

Nepal formally established relations with the People's Republic of China on August 1, 1955. The two countries share 1414 kilometers long border in the Himalayan range along the northern side of Nepal. Nepal has established its embassy in Beijing, opened consulates general in Lhasa, Hong Kong and Guangzhou and appointed an honorary consul in Shanghai.

Nepal's relations with China have grown closer following China's Belt and Road Initiative.Template:Rp

Denmark

See Denmark–Nepal relations.

France

Nepal and the French Republic entered into diplomatic relations on 20 April 1949. Bilateral economic cooperation programme commenced in February 1981 when the two countries signed the First Protocol amounting to French Franc 50 million loan which was converted into debt in 1989. Food aid and the counterpart funds that it generated have been the main form of aid since 1991. Main areas of cooperation are national seismologic network, petroleum exploration, restructuring of Water Supply Corporation, the Kavre Integrated Project and Gulmi and Arghakhanchi Rural Development Project, rehabilitation of airports, 'food for work', and others.

Nepal and France have signed an agreement concerning Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investment in 1983. The major areas of French investment are hotels, restaurants, medicine, aluminium windows and doors, vehicle body building sectors. Alcatelhad became the leading supplier of the Nepal Telecommunication Corporation, with 200,000 lines installed, and fibre optic cables. Cegelec secured a 24 million dollars contract in respect of the construction of Kali Gandaki hydroelectric project.

The Government of Nepal awarded a contract to Oberthur Technologies of France in 2010, for printing, supply, and delivery of Machine Readable Passports. A significant number of French tourists (24,097 in 2014, 16, 405 in 2015, and, 20,863 in 2016) arrive in Nepal from France each year.

Israel

File:King of Nepal 1958.jpg

King Mahendra of Nepal (second from left) in a 1958 visit to Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science.

Nepal was the first and until recently the only nation in South and Central Asia to establish diplomatic ties with Israel. The bilateral relation between the two countries has been good. Traditionally, Nepal votes in favor of Israel at the UN and abstains from resolution opposed by the Israeli government barring few exceptions. Israel-Nepal relations are based on mutual security concerns.

Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala, Prime Minister of Nepal from 1959 to 1960, had a strongly pro-Israel foreign policy. King Mahendra visited Israel in 1963 and maintained Koirala's special relationship.

Japan

Nepal-Japan relations date back to the late eighteenth century. The relationship became formal with the establishment of diplomatic relations on 1 September 1956. The Embassy of Nepal was established in Tokyo in 1965 and Japan established its embassy in Kathmandu in 1967. Nepal has honorary consulates in Osaka and Fukuoka. Japan is one of the largest aid donors to Nepal.

Japan is the 2nd most preferred destination for abroad study to the Nepali students.

Malaysia

Malaysia has an embassy in Kathmandu, and Nepal has an embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 January 1960, with bilateral relations between Malaysia and Nepal have developed from historic grounds.

Mexico

Both nations established diplomatic relations in 1975.

• Mexico is accredited to Nepal from its embassy in New Delhi, India and maintains an honorary consulate in Kathmandu.
• Nepal is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States and maintains an honorary consulate in Mexico City.

Norway

Diplomatic relations were established on 26 January 1973. Norway established an embassy in Kathmandu in 2000. Norway's aid to Nepal was around 32 million USD in 2017. Norwegian aid prioritizes education, good governance and energy.

In 2008, Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim visited Nepal. In 2009, Prime Minister Prachanda visited Norway. In May 2008, a small bomb exploded outside the Norwegian embassy in Kathmandu. No one was injured.

Pakistan

The bilateral relations between Nepal and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan were fully established between 1962 and 1963.

Serbia

• A number of bilateral agreements have been concluded and are in force between both countries.

South Korea

In addition to the in-kind and monetary donations and emergency relief workers sent by the government of the Republic of Korea immediately after the latest earthquake in Nepal the Korean government provided grant aid worth 10 million US dollars to assist with Nepal's recovery and reconstruction efforts.

United Kingdom

Nepal established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 4 March 1816 with the ratification of the Treaty of Sugauli.

• Nepal maintains an embassy in London.
• The United Kingdom is accredited to Nepal through its embassy in Kathmandu.

Both countries share common membership of the World Trade Organization. Bilaterally the two countries have a Development Partnership, and an Investment Agreement.

United States

Nepal and the United States established the diplomatic relations between them on 25 April 1947.

File:Embassy of Nepal.JPG

Embassy of Nepal in Washington, D.C.

See also

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Nepal)
• 1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship
• List of diplomatic missions in Nepal
• List of diplomatic missions of Nepal

External links

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal
• Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Nepal to the United Nations
• https://web.archive.org/web/20090904225228/http://www.mofa.gov.np/bilateral/nepal-russia.php