How should Nepal navigate a world in reorder? Rajib Upadhya on geopolitics and foreign policy
Summary
Rajib Upadhya says the 2020s have brought a dangerous global reorder that reshapes Nepal’s security, diplomacy and development prospects. He argues Nepal should hedge across multiple power centers, align closely with the Global South, and urgently strengthen weak institutions at home.
Key Points
- Rajib Upadhya’s book examines how a shifting global balance of power affects Nepal as India, China, the US and other powers compete in a more multipolar world.
- He says the Covid-19 pandemic, wars, tariff fights, climate stress and retreating aid have widened the meaning of national security and exposed the fragility of the old international order.
- Upadhya argues Nepal should work closely with the Global South, hedge its bets across multiple partners, and avoid overdependence on any single power bloc.
- He warns that Nepal’s weak institutions and unstable governance remain major obstacles, but says young Nepalis give him hope for the country’s future.
