Nepal (India's Neighbours)

📌 Background & Key Features

Special relationship: Open border, free movement of people, historic Gorkha regiment recruitment, and deep religious/cultural ties (Pashupatinath, Janakpur-Ayodhya links).
Cooperation: Hydropower (Pancheshwar, Arun-III, Upper Karnali; target of 10,000 MW power trade), cross-border petroleum pipelines, UPI/QR payment linkage, rail connectivity, and HADR cooperation.
Irritants: 2015 trade/fuel blockade (perceived as linked to Madhesi issue) pushed Nepal towards China’s BRI (joined 2017); India’s Agnipath scheme led Nepal to suspend fresh Gorkha recruitment; periodic map disputes over Kalapani.

Border	1,751 km open border; 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship
Key dispute	Kalapani-Limpiyadhura-Lipulekh (Nepal cites 1816 Treaty of Sugauli)
2025-26 political change	Gen-Z uprising (Sep 2025) → Sushila Karki (interim PM) → elections March 2026

Gen-Z Uprising (8-13 Sep 2025): Youth-led protests against a social-media ban and corruption forced PM K.P. Sharma Oli’s resignation; former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was appointed interim PM; parliamentary elections held March 2026, won by Kathmandu mayor Balendra "Balen" Shah’s youth-oriented RSP.
The Kalapani border dispute resurfaced in 2025 as India and China moved to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via the Lipulekh Pass — a route Nepal also claims.
India put fresh diplomatic initiatives with Kathmandu on hold pending the outcome of the 2026 elections, reflecting a cautious wait-and-watch approach to the new government.

Border: 1,751 km open border; 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship
Key dispute: Kalapani-Limpiyadhura-Lipulekh (Nepal cites 1816 Treaty of Sugauli)
2025-26 political change: Gen-Z uprising (Sep 2025) → Sushila Karki (interim PM) → elections March 2026

Year	Question	Marks
2015	Increasing cross-border terrorist attacks and growing interference in internal affairs by neighbours are not conducive to SAARC’s future — discuss with examples (includes Nepal).	12.5