Nepal

This chapter looks at international law in Nepal. Nepal has had more than its fair share of internal political upheavals. In the latter part of the twentieth century, this history was complemented by a diverse set of interactions with the United Nations and the regimes negotiated under its auspices. These interactions with the outside world and international law have tended to pursue three objectives: first, asserting and protecting Nepal’s freedom of action and maintaining its own equilibrium vis-à-vis its two larger neighbours, China and India; second, economic development; and third, promoting liberal democratic values underpinned by human rights and the rule of law. After reviewing this historical background, the chapter then considers the application of international law in the Nepalese legal system as well as the specific ways in which international law has been used in Nepalese politics to bridge normative gaps, in the context of hydro-diplomacy between India and Nepal and in the context of transit and trade rights