Nepal

Nepal's government denied banning Indian mango imports, clarifying phytosanitary measures, while the Foreign Ministry addressed PM remarks on border disputes that briefly caused parliamentary obstruction. Domestic political tensions continue with threats against opposition figures discussing boundary issues.

Nepal is perennially squeezed between India, on which it depends for most trade and overland access, and China, which seeks faster Belt and Road implementation and assurances on its 'One China' core interests. The mango ban follows recent India-Nepal frictions over tea and other goods, and mirrors quality-control restrictions Japan and others have placed on Indian produce, adding a regulatory irritant to a sensitive bilateral relationship. The reported back-to-back India and China visits underscore the government's stated 'balanced' foreign policy at a moment when both powers are probing the new administration's leanings.