Nepal, May 11 -- Has Nepal's foreign policy reached a dead end? What innovations can be made to redeem such apprehension and recalibrate to adjust to emerging dimensions and contexts? The heyday of foreign policy options has drastically shrunk in recent years, thanks to the changed international context, as was evident during the post-Second World War period that had allowed smaller powers to rub shoulders with other great and medium powers. The role of small powers in world politics was reckoned with rival powers trying to garner the support and sympathy, at a time when such favour was counted for scoring popularity.

Nepal's traditional approach to foreign policy was determined by certain factors that were/are either perennial or are be...