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Though the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is the government agency which is responsible for conducting the foreign relations of Nepal, historically, it is the Office of the Prime Minister (PMO) which 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. [1] 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 allegation and said the unrest were an internal affair. [2] 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.
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." [3]
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. [4] : 215 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. [5] 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. [6]
In 1955, when Nepal joined the UN, Nepal had no border disputes with either of its neighbors. Both India and China without any objections, accepted the map of Nepal filed at the UN in 1955.
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. As of 2017 [update] , Nepal has border disputes with India at Lipulekh and Kalapani between Darchula district and Uttarakhand and Susta in Bihar and Nawalpur district. [7] 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.
Nepal has been a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) since 11 September 2003 [8] and on 24 January 2017 became the 108th WTO member to ratify the WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement. [9]
List of countries which Nepal maintains diplomatic relations with:
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# | Country | Date [10] |
1 | ![]() | 25 April 1947 |
2 | ![]() | 16 August 1947 [11] |
3 | ![]() | 13 June 1947 |
4 | ![]() | 20 April 1949 |
5 | ![]() | 1 August 1955 |
6 | ![]() | 20 July 1956 |
7 | ![]() | 1 September 1956 |
8 | ![]() | 9 November 1956 [12] |
9 | ![]() | 1 July 1957 |
10 | ![]() | 16 July 1957 |
11 | ![]() | 4 April 1958 |
12 | ![]() | 15 August 1959 |
13 | ![]() | 31 August 1959 |
14 | ![]() | 7 October 1959 |
15 | ![]() | 25 November 1959 |
16 | ![]() | 30 November 1959 |
17 | ![]() | 26 December 1959 [13] |
18 | ![]() | 1 January 1960 |
19 | ![]() | 12 February 1960 |
20 | ![]() | 15 February 1960 |
21 | ![]() | 19 March 1960 |
22 | ![]() | 20 March 1960 |
23 | ![]() | 2 April 1960 |
24 | ![]() | 20 May 1960 |
25 | ![]() | 1 June 1960 |
26 | ![]() | 10 June 1960 |
27 | ![]() | 25 December 1960 |
28 | ![]() | 5 January 1961 |
29 | ![]() | 15 January 1961 |
30 | ![]() | 1 May 1961 |
31 | ![]() | 1 July 1961 |
32 | ![]() | 1 January 1962 |
33 | ![]() | 1962 |
34 | ![]() | 2 February 1962 |
35 | ![]() | 15 November 1962 |
36 | ![]() | 18 August 1963 |
37 | ![]() | 19 August 1963 |
38 | ![]() | 14 December 1964 |
39 | ![]() | 18 January 1965 |
40 | ![]() | 20 August 1965 |
41 | ![]() | 15 December 1967 |
42 | ![]() | 15 April 1968 |
43 | ![]() | 20 April 1968 |
44 | ![]() | 29 April 1968 |
45 | ![]() | 13 May 1968 |
46 | ![]() | 30 October 1968 |
47 | ![]() | 25 March 1969 |
48 | ![]() | 11 July 1969 |
49 | ![]() | 26 February 1970 |
50 | ![]() | 15 April 1971 |
51 | ![]() | 25 February 1972 |
52 | ![]() | 8 April 1972 |
53 | ![]() | 23 May 1972 |
54 | ![]() | 26 January 1973 |
55 | ![]() | 15 May 1974 |
56 | ![]() | 15 May 1974 |
57 | ![]() | 21 September 1974 |
58 | ![]() | 10 January 1975 |
59 | ![]() | 18 February 1975 |
60 | ![]() | 25 March 1975 |
61 | ![]() | 18 April 1975 |
62 | ![]() | 15 May 1975 |
63 | ![]() | 3 June 1975 |
64 | ![]() | 25 November 1975 |
65 | ![]() | 25 November 1975 |
66 | ![]() | 20 December 1975 |
67 | ![]() | 30 December 1975 |
68 | ![]() | 28 January 1976 |
69 | ![]() | 7 February 1976 |
70 | ![]() | 1 September 1976 |
71 | ![]() | 13 January 1977 |
72 | ![]() | 21 January 1977 |
73 | ![]() | 21 January 1977 |
74 | ![]() | 22 January 1977 |
75 | ![]() | 15 March 1977 |
76 | ![]() | 16 August 1977 |
77 | ![]() | 1 August 1980 |
78 | ![]() | 18 August 1980 |
79 | ![]() | 12 February 1981 |
80 | ![]() | 25 May 1981 |
81 | ![]() | 3 June 1983 |
— | ![]() | 10 September 1983 |
82 | ![]() | 25 September 1983 |
83 | ![]() | 3 February 1984 |
84 | ![]() | 15 February 1984 |
85 | ![]() | 14 April 1984 |
86 | ![]() | 24 October 1984 |
87 | ![]() | 27 November 1984 |
88 | ![]() | 17 June 1985 |
89 | ![]() | 25 December 1985 |
90 | ![]() | 12 June 1986 |
91 | ![]() | 10 September 1986 |
92 | ![]() | 30 September 1986 |
93 | ![]() | 5 October 1986 |
94 | ![]() | 28 April 1987 |
95 | ![]() | 7 May 1987 |
96 | ![]() | 21 May 1987 |
97 | ![]() | 20 April 1992 |
98 | ![]() | 20 April 1992 |
99 | ![]() | 15 January 1993 |
100 | ![]() | 26 March 1993 |
101 | ![]() | 26 March 1993 |
102 | ![]() | 19 July 1993 |
103 | ![]() | 20 July 1993 |
104 | ![]() | 4 March 1994 |
105 | ![]() | 2 June 1994 |
106 | ![]() | 28 July 1994 |
107 | ![]() | 28 February 1995 |
108 | ![]() | 10 October 1996 |
109 | ![]() | 2 December 1997 |
110 | ![]() | 6 January 1998 |
111 | ![]() | 6 February 1998 |
112 | ![]() | 19 August 1999 |
113 | ![]() | 12 January 2000 |
114 | ![]() | 8 February 2000 |
115 | ![]() | 10 August 2005 |
116 | ![]() | 13 September 2005 |
117 | ![]() | 22 September 2005 |
118 | ![]() | 17 October 2005 |
119 | ![]() | 21 June 2006 |
120 | ![]() | 2 August 2006 |
121 | ![]() | 8 August 2006 |
122 | ![]() | 18 August 2006 |
123 | ![]() | 19 September 2006 |
124 | ![]() | 22 September 2006 |
125 | ![]() | 22 September 2006 |
126 | ![]() | 23 May 2007 |
127 | ![]() | 27 September 2007 |
128 | ![]() | 28 September 2007 |
129 | ![]() | 8 January 2009 |
130 | ![]() | 19 November 2009 |
131 | ![]() | 18 May 2010 |
132 | ![]() | 18 July 2011 |
133 | ![]() | 15 December 2011 |
134 | ![]() | 18 April 2012 |
135 | ![]() | 15 May 2012 |
136 | ![]() | 4 December 2012 |
137 | ![]() | 11 December 2012 |
138 | ![]() | 28 March 2013 |
139 | ![]() | 12 April 2013 |
140 | ![]() | 30 June 2015 |
141 | ![]() | 1 October 2015 |
142 | ![]() | 12 May 2016 |
143 | ![]() | 21 September 2016 |
144 | ![]() | 12 June 2017 |
145 | ![]() | 16 June 2017 |
146 | ![]() | 14 July 2017 |
147 | ![]() | 25 July 2017 |
148 | ![]() | 3 August 2017 |
149 | ![]() | 17 August 2017 |
150 | ![]() | 20 September 2017 |
151 | ![]() | 31 October 2017 |
152 | ![]() | 7 November 2017 |
153 | ![]() | 24 November 2017 |
154 | ![]() | 9 December 2017 |
155 | ![]() | 29 December 2017 |
156 | ![]() | 23 January 2018 |
157 | ![]() | 26 January 2018 |
158 | ![]() | 30 May 2018 |
159 | ![]() | 6 June 2018 |
160 | ![]() | 20 July 2018 |
161 | ![]() | 26 September 2018 |
162 | ![]() | 11 October 2018 |
163 | ![]() | 22 March 2019 |
164 | ![]() | 30 April 2019 |
165 | ![]() | 9 May 2019 |
166 | ![]() | 27 August 2019 |
167 | ![]() | 25 September 2019 |
168 | ![]() | 30 April 2021 |
169 | ![]() | 24 May 2021 |
170 | ![]() | 29 June 2021 |
171 | ![]() | 8 December 2021 |
172 | ![]() | 11 February 2022 |
173 | ![]() | 21 March 2022 |
174 | ![]() | 28 March 2022 |
175 | ![]() | 1 April 2022 |
176 | ![]() | 16 June 2022 |
177 | ![]() | 17 February 2023 |
178 | ![]() | 4 May 2023 |
179 | ![]() | 22 June 2023 |
180 | ![]() | 23 June 2023 |
181 | ![]() | 1 March 2024 |
182 | ![]() | 17 July 2024 [14] |
Nepal welcomed Bangladesh's independence on 16 January 1972. [15] 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. [16]
Relations with Bhutan have been strained since 1992 over the nationality and possible repatriation of refugees from Bhutan. [17]
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. [18]
Nepal formally established relations with the People's Republic of China on August 1, 1955. [19] The two countries share 1414 kilometers long border in the Himalayan range along the northern side of Nepal. [19] Nepal has established its embassy in Beijing, opened consulates general in Lhasa, Hong Kong and Guangzhou and appointed an honorary consul in Shanghai. [19]
Nepal's relations with China have grown closer following China's Belt and Road Initiative. [4] : 215
Nepal and the French Republic entered into diplomatic relations on 20 April 1949. [20] 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. [20] Food aid and the counterpart funds that it generated have been the main form of aid since 1991. [20] 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. [20]
Nepal and France have signed an agreement concerning Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investment in 1983. [20] The major areas of French investment are hotels, restaurants, medicine, aluminium windows and doors, vehicle body building sectors. [20] Alcatelhad became the leading supplier of the Nepal Telecommunication Corporation, with 200,000 lines installed, and fibre optic cables. [20] Cegelec secured a 24 million dollars contract in respect of the construction of Kali Gandaki hydroelectric project. [20]
The Government of Nepal awarded a contract to Oberthur Technologies of France in 2010, for printing, supply, and delivery of Machine Readable Passports. [20] 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. [20]
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. [21]
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. [22]
Nepal-Japan relations date back to the late eighteenth century. [23] The relationship became formal with the establishment of diplomatic relations on 1 September 1956. [23] 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. [24] [25]
Japan is the 2nd most preferred destination for abroad study to the Nepali students. [23]
Malaysia has an embassy in Kathmandu, [26] and Nepal has an embassy in Kuala Lumpur. [27] Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 January 1960, [28] with bilateral relations between Malaysia and Nepal have developed from historic grounds. [29]
Both nations established diplomatic relations in 1975.
Diplomatic relations were established on 26 January 1973. Norway established an embassy in Kathmandu in 2000. [32] [33] Norway's aid to Nepal was around 32 million USD in 2017. Norwegian aid prioritizes education, good governance and energy. [34]
In 2008, Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim visited Nepal. [35] In 2009, Prime Minister Prachanda visited Norway. [36] In May 2008, a small bomb exploded outside the Norwegian embassy in Kathmandu. No one was injured. [37] [38]
The bilateral relations between Nepal and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan were fully established between 1962 and 1963. [39]
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 [41] the Korean government provided grant aid worth 10 million US dollars to assist with Nepal's recovery and reconstruction efforts. [42]
The first British High Commissioner to Nepal was accredited in 1947. [11]
Both countries share common membership of the World Trade Organization. Bilaterally the two countries have a Development Partnership, [44] and an Investment Agreement. [45]
Nepal and the United States established the diplomatic relations between them on 25 April 1947. [46]
The Cambodian government has diplomatic relations with most countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, as well as all of its Asian neighbors, including China, India, Vietnam, Laos, South Korea, and Thailand. The government is a member of most major international organizations, including the United Nations and its specialized agencies such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The government is an Asian Development Bank (ADB) member, a member of ASEAN, and of the WTO. In 2005 Cambodia attended the inaugural East Asia Summit. The government is also a member of the Pacific Alliance and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
India, officially the Republic of India, has full diplomatic relations with 201 states, including Palestine, the Holy See, and Niue. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is the government agency responsible for the conduct of foreign relations of India. With the world's third largest military expenditure, second largest armed force, fifth largest economy by GDP nominal rates and third largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity, India is a prominent regional power and a potential superpower.
The foreign relations of Japan are handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan emerged as an independent country through the partition of India in August 1947 and was admitted as a United Nations member state in September 1947. It is currently the second-largest country within the Muslim world in terms of population, and is also the only Muslim-majority country in possession of nuclear weapons. De facto, the country shares direct land borders with India, Iran, Afghanistan, and China.
Foreign relations of Qatar is conducted through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Arab states were among the first to recognize Qatar, and the country gained admittance to the United Nations and the Arab League after achieving independence in 1971. The country was an early member of OPEC and a founding member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Diplomatic missions to Qatar are based in its capital, Doha.
Foreign relations of Tajikistan are based on a desire to secure foreign investment and promote regional security while ensuring Tajikistan's independence. Sirodjidin Aslov is the current Foreign’s Minister of Tajikistan.
The foreign relations of Bangladesh are Bangladesh's relationships with foreign countries. The Government of Bangladesh's policies pursue a moderate foreign policy that heavily relies on multilateral diplomacy, especially at the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Since its independence in 1971, Bangladesh has stressed its principle of "Friendship towards all, malice towards none" in dictating its diplomacy. As a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, Bangladesh has tended to not take sides with major powers. Since the end of the Cold War, Bangladesh has pursued better relations with its neighbours and other nearby states.
Bhutan has diplomatic relations with 56 of 193 member states of the United Nations and the European Union. Bhutan's limited number of such relations, including the absence of formal relations with any of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, is part of a deliberate isolationist policy of limiting foreign influence in the state. This stance has been safeguarded by close relations with India, of which Bhutan has previously been considered a protected state.
Foreign relations of Israel refers to diplomatic and trade relations between Israel and other countries around the world. Israel has diplomatic ties with 165 of the other 192 UN member states as of 12 December 2020. Israel is a member of the United Nations (UN) and a number of other international organisations. Israel maintains full diplomatic relations with two of its Arab neighbours, Egypt and Jordan, after signing peace treaties in 1979 and 1994 respectively. In 2020, Israel signed agreements establishing diplomatic relations with three Arab League countries, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Morocco. As of 2021, Israel had formal diplomatic relations with 168 other countries, while twenty-eight UN member states have either never established, or have broken off diplomatic relations with Israel.
The Maldives has remained an independent nation throughout its recorded history, save for a brief spell of Portuguese occupation in the mid-16th century. From 1900 to 1965, the country was a British protectorate while retaining full internal sovereignty. At its independence in 1965, the Maldives joined the United Nations on 20 September.
Israel–Nepal relations refer to the bilateral ties between the State of Israel and Nepal. The two countries established diplomatic relations on 1 June 1960, making Nepal the third country in South Asia to recognize Israel behind Ceylon and India, and the first South Asian state to establish full bilateral ties with it.
Nepal–Pakistan relations refer to the bilateral relations between Nepal and Pakistan, both Himalayan states located in the Indian subcontinent. After the Partition of British India in August 1947, Nepal moved to establish diplomatic relations with the Dominion of India, but did not do so with the Dominion of Pakistan. Official diplomatic ties did not exist between the two states until initial steps were taken on 29 March 1960; these relations were then fully established in 1962 and 1963. Both nations have since sought to expand their bilateral trade, strategic and military cooperation. In 1972, following Pakistan's defeat in the Bangladesh Liberation War and the secession of East Pakistan as the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Nepal recognized the latter's independence. Pakistan severed ties with Nepal shortly afterwards, but these were later re-established.
Nepal–Russia relations are the bilateral relations between Russia and Nepal.
Nepal–Norway relations are bilateral relations between Nepal and Norway. Diplomatic relations were established on 26 January 1973. Norway established an embassy in Kathmandu in 2000. Nepal has a non-resident ambassador in Copenhagen.
Japan–Nepal relations are bilateral relations between Japan and the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on 28 September 1956. Japan has an embassy in Kathmandu, and Nepal has an embassy in Tokyo.
Denmark–Nepal relations are foreign relations between Denmark and Nepal. Denmark had an embassy in Kathmandu from 1992 to 2017 and since then an Honorary Consulate. Nepal has had an embassy in Copenhagen since 2007. Nepal and Denmark established diplomatic relations on 15 December 1967.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for conducting external affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. Ministry of Foreign Affairs represents other line ministries and the Government of Nepal while dealing with other states.
Afghanistan–Nepal relations refer to the diplomatic relations between Afghanistan and Nepal. Nepal has relations with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan through its Embassy in New Delhi. The two countries have had long bilateral relations and both are members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
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