Nepal is situated in a crucial geo-strategic location between two rising powers of the 21st century, China and India. Being a small state sandwiched between two big, powerful and competing states, Nepal’s foreign policy has been guided by the principles ofPanchsheel, non-alignment, UN Charter, international law and norms of world peace. Due to its strategic position, Nepal has attracted interests not only from its powerful neighbors but also from major powers around the world. Therefore, it is vital for Nepal to adopt a balanced foreign policy aided by deft diplomacy for safeguarding its national interests. Although the government is responsible for the formulation and implementation of foreign policy, the role of academicians, analysts, think-tanks and media in the field of international relations is equally important.
The name Nepal FIRST signifies Nepal Forum for International Relations Studies. Similarly, the name Nepal FIRST also tries to highlight the fact that Nepal should promote and protect its national interest first before anything else while engaging with rest of the world. Nepal FIRST aims to come up with articles, discussions, analysis, interviews, policy advice, podcasts and blogs on issues related to the international relations of Nepal. It would also work for the preservation of diplomatic history of Nepal by recording the experiences of past diplomats, politicians, policy-makers and academicians involved in this field. In today’s digital age, it aims to play an effective role in attracting the attention of a broad audience that is limited not only to Nepal but also for those around the world that have interest in the affairs of Nepal.
