Welcome Shift In Diplomatic Conduct

The new government under Prime Minister Balendra Shah has maintained the existing foreign policy, yet there has been a welcome shift in how diplomacy is handled. This change is taking place in a nuanced manner, without ruffling the feathers of our neighbours and other powerful nations. The new Prime Minister is determined to restore the nation’s dignity and diplomatic sanctity by adhering to the diplomatic code of conduct. In the past, prime ministers and foreign ministers have often undermined the protocols and the positions they held. They would never hesitate to engage with foreign leaders, officials, and diplomats of lesser rank.

This scribe still recalls a meeting of Nepali politicians with a visiting foreign minister from the southern neighbour some years ago. Our former prime ministers and top leaders had made a beeline to shake hands with him. Quite the contrary, a Nepali ambassador had to wait for months to make a courtesy call with him in his own country. On April 8, 2026, Prime Minister Shah held a group meeting with the heads and representatives of Kathmandu-based diplomatic missions. This effectively broke with the practice of one-on-one courtesy calls. It was taken for granted that senior diplomats from powerful nations could call on the Nepali PM at their will. This asymmetric engagement has come to an end, at least for now.

Within a span of two weeks, two senior US diplomats visited Nepal but they had no meetings with PM Shah. One week ago, Paul Kapur, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, came to Nepal to assess Nepal-US relations since the formation of the new government. Similarly, Sergio Gor, the special envoy of the US President for South and Central Asia, wrapped up his three-day trip to Nepal on Saturday. Given the past trend, it was unusual for the US diplomats not to have an introductory parley with Nepal’s head of government. This shows PM Shah is aware of protocol and wants Nepal to be treated in equal terms.

Reception desk

In the past, the PM’s chamber turned into a diplomatic ‘reception desk’, underestimating the self-esteem of a sovereign nation. Our prime ministers were restless to make foreign trips almost immediately after their appointment to the highest executive. Foreign junkets received priority as if the key to solving the domestic problems lay in foreign lands. PM Shah is also breaking this long-standing yet flawed practice. Media reports suggest that he will not embark on foreign visits for at least one year, attaching greater priority to the domestic issues and economic problems. In diplomacy, protocol, prestige and procedures carry more than symbolic meaning. They imply the assertiveness of a nation and the functionality of its system. The diplomatic equality must be applied to all nations irrespective of their size, geography, population, economy and military strength. 

The new government’s diplomatic approach is based on the Diplomatic Code of Conduct (2077/2026) that guides meetings and communication between the high-ranking officials and foreign guests. The code obliges that the ministers and top officials must secure prior approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to interact with foreign visitors and the two-sided interactions need to be officially recorded. The foreign ministry’s representatives must accompany the prime minister, ministers and other top-ranking officers during the meetings with foreign leaders. These provisions are necessary to maintain protocol, decorum and transparency. This will boost the institutional memory of the state as the details of meetings serve as reference points in advancing ties with foreign nations in the future.

The diplomatic code is essential to discourage unauthorised and undocumented meetings with foreign leaders. It ensures better relations and dignified communications between the countries, while providing a formal framework for negotiations between the countries entangled in conflict. When the countries respect and follow the diplomatic code of conduct, the hostilities and deadlocks are easily sorted out.

In the past, we have seen former prime ministers and ministers holding talks with foreign leaders clandestinely, dodging the prying eyes of the media. When the foreign ministry is bypassed in such parleys, their motives often come into question. The prime minister, ministers and officials should act in an impersonal manner. The partisan and person-centric approach hardly serves the interests of the people and nation. 

Meaningful engagement 

However, in an interdependent globalised world, no nation can live and operate in isolation. As the least developed country, Nepal badly needs foreign aid and investment, advanced technology and expertise knowledge to achieve rapid growth. For this, it must pursue meaningful engagement with the international community. The new government has accorded priority to corruption control, good governance and economic growth. Economic diplomacy has been defined as a viable instrument to muster foreign support. 

With a two-thirds majority in the parliament, the government is in a strong position to make sweeping decisions to fulfil its stated goals. Stable politics means the creation of a conducive business climate that the investors often seek when they pour their money into foreign soil. In this changed context, the diplomatic code of conduct is important to deal with foreign countries in a candid manner. Its implementation will surely help earn the nation confidence, respect and recognition. This testifies to its new aspirations to live in the comity of nations.

(The author is the Managing Editor of this daily.)