‘Nepali leaders understand India better than India understands itself’

Nepal’s political landscape has undergone a generational change. For decades, its relationship with India was shaped by political leaders who shared deep personal, ideological and historical ties with New Delhi. That familiarity is now giving way to a younger political generation that grew up in a globalised Nepal, shaped by migration, technology, social media and new expectations of the state.

For India, the change presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s government has entered office without the traditional political relationships that defined Kathmandu’s engagement with New Delhi, while India itself is navigating a rapidly changing South Asian geopolitical landscape.