While briefing Kathmandu-based diplomats, interim Prime Minister Karki failed to assure Nepal’s immediate neighbours

By Bhagirath Yogi

London – Singh Durbar, the seat of power in Nepal for more than a century, remains scorched.

A day after the September 8 Gen Z protests – in which 19 protesters were killed by security personnel in the capital Kathmandu and the eastern town of Itahari – several government buildings were set on fire, including Singh Durbar. As Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli was forced to resign on September 9, unruly mobs, including those who had just escaped from the country’s prisons, set fire to many ministries within the Singh Durbar premises. 

Following negotiations facilitated by the Nepal Army, President Ram Chandra Paudel appointed former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as interim Prime Minister. He also dissolved Pratinidhi Sabha – the lower house of parliament –and set March 5, 2026, as the date for mid-term elections, based on the interim Prime Minister’s recommendations. 

Mrs. Karki’s tray is full. While preliminary estimates say Nepal might require millions of dollars to repair and reconstruct charred buildings, the morale of security forces, especially the Nepal Police, is low. Dozens of their offices have been burnt, weapons looted, and uniforms stolen. More than 5,000 inmates remain at large. Countries like the UAE have suspended issuing visas to Nepali citizens, fearing that criminals could take advantage of the situation and enter the country.

Though newly appointed Finance Minister RameshoreKhanal, a former Secretary at the same Ministry, announced that Nepal would mobilise its own domestic resources to conduct mid-term polls, the international community – including India, China, the EU, and the US – has expressed support to the new government. In return, they expected that the new interim administration would pursue the foreign policy of previous popularly elected governments.

While addressing a meeting of Kathmandu-based diplomats at the Foreign Ministry in Singh Durbar on Friday, Mrs. Karkisaid her government’s foreign policy continues to be guided by the Charter of the United Nations, non-alignment, principles of Panchsheel, international law, and norms of world peace. 

Mrs. Karki said that Nepal is proud to be the largest troop contributing country to UN peacekeeping operations, a modest but meaningful contribution to global peace.

She, however, did not mention anything regarding her government’s commitment to ensure that Nepal’s land is not used against her immediate neighbours.

Previous Nepali governments have repeatedly said that Nepal enjoys unique relations with India and is committed to a ‘One China’ policy, but Mrs. Karki was economical in her words and did not touch upon this sensitive topic.

It’s not immediately clear if  it was a tactical move on the part of the Prime Minister or a faux pas.

“Karki carefully avoided those traditional aspects to emphasize the interim nature of her government. With less than five months remaining in her tenure, she also aimed to demonstrate her full commitment to holding elections on March 5 as part of her sole mandate. This omission is not a rejection of Nepal’s longstanding diplomatic stance, and neither Delhi nor Beijing would view it as such,” said Sanjay Upadhya, a US-based political analyst.

Unlike in the past, the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan religious leader who lives in exile in India, and other officials from his administration, congratulated Mrs. Karki publicly. Nepali officials say they have arrested a few demonstrators who allegedly took part in arson and vandalism during the September 8-9 protests in Kathmandu. Among them were youths wearing jackets with the sign ‘TOB’ printed on them. TOB stands for Tibetan Original Blood, social media posts claimed. While it may be too early to jump to a conclusion as investigations are underway, reports say Chinese officials are worried that pro-Tibet elements could take advantage of a fragile political and security situation in Nepal.

“At some level, inconvenient questions arose about the reason for this level of jubilation in Dharamshala. Then, visual images emerged showing pro-Tibet activists participating in protests in Kathmandu. This naturally heightened Nepali concerns that it would disturb the country’s carefully maintained geopolitical balance,” says Upadhya.

Recalling Ambassadors 

Amid geopolitical concerns, on Thursday (16 October), Mrs. Karki’s government decided to recall 11 ambassadors appointed by the previous Oli government. They included Nepal’s envoys to China, Germany, Israel, Malaysia, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan. They have been asked to return to Kathmandu by November 6.

Interestingly, six other ambassadors, including those to India and Australia whom the Oli government appointed, have not been recalled.

Such a selective decision by the interim government seems to have been motivated by the desire to show Gen Z leaders that the government is doing something. But, recalling ambassadors at such a critical juncture could do more harm than good, warn analysts.

“Nepal must assure both India and China that its actions are guided by national interests, not by non-state actors, and that it poses no security threat to either,” Dr. Hindu Sanskriti Karki, a scholar of international relations, told The Diplomat Nepal magazine.

As things stand, Friday’s meeting may turn out to be a missed opportunity for Prime Minister Karki, who also dons the mantle of Nepal’s Foreign Minister.

A former BBC journalist, Yogi is the editor of www.southasiatime.com