KATHMANDU: As the current administration approaches its 100-day milestone, the government has claimed a significant shift in Nepal’s international relations, asserting that it has successfully steered the nation’s foreign policy in a new, institutional direction focused strictly on national interest.

According to government officials, this new approach has effectively institutionalized domestic diplomacy by enforcing strict codes of conduct.

The administration claims it has eliminated the unorthodox past practice of foreign ambassadors directly meeting high-ranking Nepali officials—including the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers—by mandating that all diplomatic engagements must now go through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On the bilateral front, the government has framed its recent diplomatic engagements with its major neighbors, India and China, as highly successful.

Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal’s official visits to both nations were presented as key opportunities to project Nepal’s balanced, independent stance.

In China, discussions centered on clearing strategic apprehensions and expanding cooperation in infrastructure, connectivity and digital technology, claims the government.

Meanwhile, the visit to India was used to reinforce Nepal’s positions on border management, water resources, and cross-border energy trade, officials claim.

Furthermore, the government has characterized its participation in broader international forums, such as the 9th Indian Ocean Conference in Mauritius, as a major diplomatic achievement.

Officials maintain that by actively championing principles rooted in the UN Charter, non-alignment, and peaceful coexistence, the administration has successfully elevated Nepal’s sovereign dignity and economic interests on the global stage.