“Today, however, Nepal is no longer defined solely by its ties to India. China has spent the past two decades steadily expanding its political and economic footprint there. Now the U.S. is emerging as a significant third player.”
“Recent high-level visits by senior American and Chinese officials to Kathmandu underscore a broader reality: Nepal has become an arena of strategic competition among Asia’s two great powers and the world’s leading superpower. With the three competing for influence, investment and strategic access, Nepal has become one of the clearest examples of how India’s traditional dominance on the subcontinent is increasingly under serious challenge.”
“For Beijing, Nepal’s significance extends beyond economics. The country sits astride China’s sensitive Tibetan frontier and occupies a strategic position between the world’s two most populous nations. Maintaining influence in Kathmandu has become an important element of China’s broader regional strategy.”
“What is new is the growing American role. While both Washington and New Delhi seek to limit Chinese influence in Nepal, the U.S. is also helping create a regional environment in which India’s privileged position becomes less exclusive.”
“China has already ended India’s near-monopoly on strategic influence in Nepal. The growing American presence is further diversifying Kathmandu’s external partnerships. Nepal is becoming a genuinely competitive geopolitical space.”
https://asia.nikkei.com/opinion/india-can-no-longer-take-nepal-for-granted