Published Paper Details:

This paper examines the emergence of Nepal-China cultural connections and their implications for India-Nepal relations. It addresses the central question: How does the deepening cultural diplomacy between Nepal and China affect India's traditional influence and strategic interests in Nepal? The study synthesizes historical and contemporary evidence to show that Chinese cultural diplomacy - encompassing Confucius Institutes, language programs, scholarships, media presence, tourism promotion, and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) symbolism - has intensified in Nepal since the 2000s. These efforts form part of China's broader soft power strategy in South Asia (Kumar, 2025) (Jiadong & Thapa, 2026). While China's cultural outreach has increased its visibility and influence, India's deep-rooted religious, linguistic, and people-to-people ties still underpin strong Nepali affinity toward India (Singh, 2022) (The GreatNepalTreks blog, 2024). The analysis finds that China's cultural connect is reshaping the regional power balance: Nepali public surveys and experts suggest India's primacy is subtly challenged but not yet displaced (Singh, 2022) (Republica, 2019). By examining case studies (e.g. Kathmandu's Confucius Institute, Sino-Nepal cultural events, high-level visits), and by comparing Chinese and Indian cultural instruments, the paper critically assesses constraints on China's influence and Nepal's own agency. Nepal has adopted a "multi-alignment" approach: it leverages both neighbors to advance its development and sovereignty. Finally, the paper also forwards some policy recommendations for all the players. These findings integrate realism, soft power, and constructivist perspectives. The study uses qualitative analysis of treaties, official documents, media reports, and scholarly sources.