Nepal
Politics
Nepal’s new guard: How Gen Z fuelled a political sea change
In an unforeseen political upheaval for Nepal that saw the Rashtriya Swatantra Party win the largest political mandate in modern history, academic Rishi Gupta explores why Balen Shah and his party struck a chord across age groups, and how the new government plans to do a balancing act between India and China.
Rishi Gupta
02 Apr 2026
Politics
Nepal’s youth lead change as India and China watch closely
After the fall of the KP Sharma Oli government following Gen Z protests, Nepal continues to deal with political instability under the interim government. In foreign policy, key neighbours India and China will have to contend with this changed landscape and cash in on how much (or how little) they have put effort into bringing Nepali youth to their side. Researcher Rishi Gupta gives his take on the matter.
Rishi Gupta
01 Oct 2025
Politics
The Dalai Lama’s succession and the geopolitics of faith
As the Dalai Lama prepares for succession, China is gearing up for a battle over spiritual authority and political legitimacy. Outside Tibet and India, only Bhutan, Nepal and Mongolia have significant Tibetan Buddhist followings — but their responses to Beijing’s claims are likely to vary widely, says Indian researcher Amit Kumar.
Amit Kumar
11 Aug 2025
Economy
The Tibet mega-dam: Powering AI, reshaping South Asia
China’s Tibet mega-dam project (the Yarlung Zangbo mega-dam project) is more than a hydropower play — it is a strategic bid to green-power AI, secure energy dominance and reshape South Asia’s fragile geopolitical balance, says academic Hao Nan.
Hao Nan
05 Aug 2025
Politics
Nepal’s struggle for autonomy in the shadow of giants
Even as Nepal is heavily dependent on India, it wants to break free of its influence, and so has turned towards alternatives such as China and the US. However, academic Guo Bingyun notes that navigating these three major powers is tricky, and could easily lead to potential retribution in the event of any missteps.
Guo Bingyun
26 Dec 2024
Politics
Nepal’s balancing act: BRI gains and China’s security demands
While Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli made headway on stalled Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects during his recent visit to China, the latter continues to prioritise security and Nepal’s adherence to the “one China” policy, notes Indian academic Rishi Gupta.
Rishi Gupta
11 Dec 2024
Politics
Which way Nepal is heading: China, India or the US
After its elections in November 2022, Nepal is now led by a new coalition government formed by parties of the Left Alliance. However, volatile relations and power struggles especially between the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) and the Maoist Centre could mean difficulties in making decisions and implementing policies. The top leaders also have different ideas about foreign relations and great power politics.
Rishi Gupta
09 Jan 2023
Politics
The US-China contest in Nepal
While the last thing it wants is to be caught up in the crosshairs of US-China competition, Nepal is in the spotlight with the recent passing in the Nepali parliament of the US$500 million MCC-Nepal compact with the US. The US and Nepal have both denied that this grant is tied to the US's Indo-Pacific strategy, but China is riled up as India watches closely.
Rishi Gupta
27 Jul 2022
Politics
India losing Nepal as China-Nepal relations strengthen
Nepal, an erstwhile land-locked country wedged between India and China, was famously called "a yam between two boulders" by the founder of modern Nepal, King Prithvi Narayan Shah. It has always had limited options in terms of foreign policy, but refusing to let geography dictate its fate, it is placing a larger bet on China with the hope that it will gain more leverage and avoid being squashed.
Rishi Gupta
11 Aug 2020