Episode 244: ‘Neighbourhood First’: Navigating India - Nepal Relations

India’s relations with its Himalayan neighbour Nepal have seen intense diplomatic engagement under Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he initiated in August 2014 the  ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.  What have been the outcomes of this policy?  What are the issues that strain mutual ties?  What are Nepal’s domestic constraints which affect bilateral relations? What have been the effects of China’s attempts to expand its strategic footprint through its Belt and Road initiative?  In this episode, Dr Gyanesh Kudaisya, Associate Professor at ISAS, is joined by ISAS Honorary Fellow Professor S D Muni, who draws upon his recently published book, Dabbling in Diplomacy – Authorised & Otherwise: Recollections of a Non-Career Diplomat, to offer insights into these questions.