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By Our Reporter

Nepal’s recent political upheaval has become more than a domestic crisis, spilling into the strategic calculations of its most powerful neighbors and partners. The two-day Gen Z protest, which left more than 72 dead and saw government buildings torched, forced Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign and flee Baluwatar under security escort. President Ram Chandra Paudel’s decision to appoint former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as interim Prime Minister and dissolve Parliament marked a dramatic reset. What followed was a swift chorus of international reactions, each laden with geopolitical weight.

India moved first, and loudly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi used a rally in Manipur to frame the protests and Karki’s appointment as evidence of Nepal’s democratic resilience. His praise of Nepali youth cleaning and painting streets was more than a compliment. It was a subtle endorsement of public agency in political change.

Modi congratulated Karki twice in as many days, publicly linking her rise to women empowerment and to India’s broader narrative of shared history and faith with Nepal. Delhi’s Ministry of External Affairs quickly followed with a statement welcoming the transition and affirming its intent to continue working with Nepal for the well-being and prosperity of our two peoples. This is a clear signal that India will try to anchor the interim government firmly within its diplomatic orbit.

China, slower to react but no less calculated, waited a day before issuing its own statement. Beijing’s language was measured but consistent with its long-standing policy: respect for Nepal’s sovereign decisions, willingness to expand cooperation, and reaffirmation of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

This reflects China’s preference for stability and continuity in Kathmandu, where it has invested heavily in infrastructure under the Belt and Road framework. Karki’s appointment offers Beijing a chance to maintain its influence without appearing intrusive, an approach that contrasts with India’s more public embrace.

Washington’s response struck a different note. The US Embassy in Kathmandu focused on democratic process and peaceful transition, praising both President Paudel and the youth leaders. It also credited the Nepal Army and Chief of Army Staff Ashok Raj Sigdel for preventing a slide into chaos. By offering technical and diplomatic support for fresh elections, Washington positioned itself as a guarantor of democratic continuity rather than a geopolitical patron.

The combined reactions of India, China, and the US show a rare alignment: all three major powers have welcomed Karki’s leadership and expressed readiness to work with her government. This consensus is significant. Nepal now finds itself in a moment where external actors are converging rather than competing, at least temporarily, around stability and transition.

The challenge for Prime Minister Karki will be to balance these overtures without appearing beholden to any single power. Nepal’s interim government must steer the country toward elections while maintaining independence in foreign policy. How it manages this balance could define the next decade of Nepal’s place between Delhi, Beijing, and Washington.