| Summary/Abstract |
Nepal’s relations with its neighbours are taking a new trajectory. It is coming out of its landlocked status and taking upon itself the role of a bridge between India and China. During his visit to China in June 2018, Prime Minister KP Oli had said “We believe that Nepal can serve as a bridge between our two neighbours. In fact, we want to move from the state of a land-locked to a land-linked country through the development of adequate cross-border connectivity. Our friendship with both our neighbours places us in an advantageous position to realise this goal”.1 Oli’s statement surmises changes in Nepal’s foreign policy with its neighbours in a nutshell. The statement isn’t new on the neighbourhood relationship. In the recent past, previous prime ministers and ambassadors have made similar statements. Gone are the days of special relationship with India or the policy of balancing one against the other. The new emphasis is on connectivity and economic development. By this, Nepal is trying to redefine its foreign policy. In this article the term foreign policy is used in a limited sense of relations with Nepal’s neighbours.
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