Nepal in Geopolitical chessboard: Opportunities and challenges

Abstract

This study examines the geopolitical position of Nepal amid the participation of international actors, including; China, America, and India's sphere of influence. This study has used the concept of the geopolitical chessboard as a metaphor to analyze the role and importance of Nepal in geopolitics, particularly under the conflicting interest of international actors like the U.S., China and India. The research further aims to identify the new geopolitical paradigm of Nepal and its growing significance in the geopolitical chessboard. Sheltered within the great Himalayas and bridged between two powerful nations, Nepal has now become a land of geostrategic importance that belies its weakness as a small state. Most of the available literatures has emphasized on Nepal-India-China historical relations, the vulnerability of Nepal and the complexities of Nepal on the geopolitical ground. Apprehending the same research gap, this study explores how Nepal is accommodating the geopolitical interest of other nations. The shift of geopolitical perspective has transformed Nepal from a buffer to a bridge nation, making it the game-changing dice in a geopolitical cheeseboard. In the same regard, this study is carried under the qualitative research design using an exploratory approach and coding method to analyze the data acquired from the secondary source. This research found that the external force is taking an interest in Nepal mainly because of its geographical positioning, which gives them the advantage of connectivity potential, the balance of power, sphere of influence, and security outlook. Keywords: Geopolitics, Strategy, Landlocked, Foreign Policy, Economics, National Interest