Nepal Between China and India: Difficulty of Being Neutral

Nepal has a non-neutral history, having been an imperial and expansionist power in the Himalayas from 1769 AD to the Anglo-Nepal war of 1815. After the political change of 1950, Nepal took a refuge in neutrality due to internal politics and an attempt to cope with new arrangements in regional security. However, power elites in Nepal still misperceive neutrality as non-alignment and are lured by ephemeral geopolitical ambitions. This study suggests that Nepal's foreign policy institutions are less hopeful about abandoning their Cold War worldview by embracing the strategy of sustenance in todays interdependent and globalized world.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 286 pages
Publication date: 19 June 2023
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Nepal's history is marked by a lack of neutrality, as it has played a role as an imperial and expansionist power in the Himalayas from its unification in 1769 AD to the Anglo-Nepal war of 1815. During the period of Colonialism in South Asia, particularly after losing the war with the British in 1816, Nepal did not adhere to a policy of neutrality. Instead, it engaged in activities such as raiding Tibet, assisting British India in the Sepoy Mutiny, and standing by Britain in both world wars. Additionally, Nepal militarily supported independent India in 1948 over the Hyderabad question. However, why did Nepal suddenly embrace neutrality after the political change of 1950? Was it due to internal politics or an attempt to adapt to new regional security arrangements? Nepal's fascination with neutrality was swift and inadvertent, and Kathmandu has never initiated policy debates over the all-weather choice. Power elites in Nepal continue to view neutrality as non-alignment, despite the book's aim to distinguish neutrality from non-alignment in the Nepali context.

The book also examines Nepal's claim to neutrality through the perspectives of India and China, highlighting the ambiguity and uncertainty surrounding Nepal's stance. It illustrates Nepal's attempt to maintain neutrality as a mere survival strategy, but the study is less optimistic about Nepal's foreign policy institutions abandoning their Cold War worldview and embracing sustenance in today's interconnected and globalized world. The book suggests that power elites in Kathmandu are often lured by ephemeral geopolitical ambitions, either through discourses or deeds.

In conclusion, Nepal's history is marked by a lack of neutrality, and its engagement with other countries has been influenced by its imperial and expansionist ambitions. While Nepal has attempted to embrace neutrality in recent years, power elites in Kathmandu continue to view neutrality as non-alignment, and are often lured by ephemeral geopolitical ambitions. The book highlights the ambiguity and uncertainty surrounding Nepal's claim to neutrality and emphasizes the need for a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of Nepal's foreign policy.

Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030999766
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022