Foreign affairs experts have suggested that the government formed through elections following the Gen-G movement should maintain balanced relations with its neighbors. Speakers at the session titled 'Nepal in the Power Struggle' held on Tuesday under the Kantipur Conclave-2026 said that it should adopt balanced diplomacy by coordinating with major powers.

Sneha Kumcha, a researcher at the South Asia Center in India, said that both Nepal and India are within the geopolitical circle of major powers, and that there is a challenge related to their distinct diplomatic specificity. “Realistically, Nepal has been balancing, but the government that is formed now should not swing to one side or the other,” she added, “Relations with neighbors should be balanced.”

Stating that it is the common interest of both countries to avoid instability in South Asia, she said that there should be some coordination between the major powers in that regard. “This is also being seen in practice through economic engagement in South Asia, for example, Nepal has also increased its economic engagement with China and at the same time is cooperating with India practically.” At the same time, she said that Nepal is also maintaining dialogue and engagement with the US, Japan and other countries.

Robert York, Regional Affairs Director of the Pacific Forum of the US, suggested that the government that comes after the upcoming elections should create a suitable environment for learning best practices, new and modern technologies. “Especially in areas like manufacturing and business management, countries need to adopt effective policies, invest in young people, so that they can gain skills and work experience,” York said. “A capable civil service and good policy framework are essential for sustainable economic growth. This is what many remarkable economic success stories show.”

He said that successful countries at different times have focused on learning, adapting and strengthening institutions. “Look to the future of your country, invest in it. The responsibility for development and democracy ultimately lies within each country,” he said. On another occasion, he said that the US had no role in the democratic movements or demonstrations in Hong Kong, Bangladesh or Nepal. “The citizens of those societies raised their voices and demanded change. The US does not want to take credit for those movements,” he said.

Gao Liang, deputy director of the Nepal Center at Sichuan University in China, said that diplomacy should proceed based on the national interests of its country, its own regional and political policies. “Such policies are not one-sided. It is not just foreign policy, economic policy also comes with it,' he said, 'Many such issues and pressures are difficult to manage easily in many other countries. But when it comes to geopolitical issues, those issues become strategic, sometimes even military in nature.' He said that while some had previously said that the US and India would be on the same page on the issue of China and Nepal, the situation is different now.

'What we are seeing recently is different, some competitive exercises show a different situation,' he said, 'Such scenarios will be seen more clearly in the coming future. India seems to be seeking the role of a world-class power.' Therefore, stating that such competition is not limited to China and India, Liang said, 'It is also between India and the US, because both of them are major power players in the region, so there should be a similar foreign policy.'

Mrigendra Karki, Executive Director of the Center of Nepal and Asian Studies (CINAS) of Tribhuvan University, said that the main question is how the next government will manage Nepal's complex geopolitical situation. ‘Prime Ministers, civic leaders, and diplomats from both countries have spoken extensively about Nepal-India relations. Nepal is currently redefining its relations with India. Our deep relationship with India still exists, but Nepal is no longer in a position to look in only one direction. This is a big change,’ he said. ‘China has also recently moved forward in a different way in this region. Connectivity and infrastructure development have increased. This has not only presented opportunities for Nepal, but also strategic questions.’