Two months after the Gen Z protests in early September toppled Nepal’s government and triggered a constitutional crisis, enough distance has emerged to assess to assess how the international community viewed the turmoil.

As Nepal settles into the Sushila Karki administration and major powers recalibrate their engagement, a clearer picture is now visible of how India, China and the United States responded to the unrest – which provides an indication of how the transition to an elected government next year will have smooth international validation.

The youth-led two-day uprising marked a momentous turning point in Nepal’s recent political history, with likely long-term repercussions for both domestic politics and the country’s external engagements. The violence not only brought down the powerful Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN UML) coalition but also plunged the country into a political and constitutional crisis.

For the first time in Nepal’s history, key state installations such as Singha Durbar, the Parliament Building, the President’s Office and the Supreme Court were set on fire within a matter of hours. Security collapsed entirely, and between September 9 and 12 the country was effectively without a government, until a new administration was formed under former Chief Justice Sushila Karki.

How major powers reacted to the developments in Nepal

The turmoil pushed Nepal into the international spotlight and major powers monitored developments closely. It still remains unclear how India, China and the United States engaged with the Nepal Army after the collapse of the K.P. Sharma Oli government, and there is no evidence that they attempted to steer Nepal’s Gen Z course in their favour.

Even so, the movement caused unease in New Delhi and Beijing, because events in Nepal tend to have immediate spillover effects across the open borders. A youth-led uprising in a country that borders both India and China also carries potential implications for their own internal political settings.

Among the major powers, India was the first to respond to Nepal’s political and constitutional crisis. On September 9, when unrest had reached its peak, prime minister Narendra Modi wrote that the “unfolding violence in Nepal is heart-wrenching” and urged Nepalis to maintain peace and order. The same day, he convened a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security to discuss the situation and its possible impact on India.

India was also the first country to officially respond to the formation of the new administration under Sushila Karki. Soon after Karki was sworn in as prime minister on 12 September, India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement welcoming her appointment.

The statement said, “We are hopeful that this would help in fostering peace and stability. As a close neighbour, a fellow democracy and a long term development partner, India will continue to work closely with Nepal for the well-being and prosperity of our two people s and countries.”

India is now fully engaging with the Karki administration and the two countries have signed agreements to construct new cross-border transmission lines, indicating a return to normal bilateral relations.

The United States adopted a more cautious and measured approach. On September 14, the United States Embassy in Kathmandu welcomed the restoration of calm and a peaceful resolution following the tragic events.

Unlike other countries, the United States commended President Ram Chandra Paudel and youth leaders for their commitment to a democratic solution. Washington also acknowledged the Nepal Army and Chief of Army Staff General Ashok Raj Sigdel for their “vital role” in restoring order and facilitating a peaceful transition of civilian government.”

During the crisis after September 9, the Nepal Army had initiated talks with Gen Z protestors regarding the formation of the new administration. On September 18, United States Ambassador Dean Thompson met prime minister Karki to reaffirm support for Nepal’s “peaceful, democratic path forward.” Like India, the United States has begun regular engagement with ministers in the new government.

The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, issued a message on the occasion of Nepal’s Constitution Day on September 20, congratulating the Nepali people. The message stated that the United States supports the Nepali people’s aspirations for a transparent government that adheres to the constitution, which is essential for achieving a democratic solution as the country prepares for elections in the coming months. These reactions reflect a clear endorsement of the political system established by the 2015 constitution.

China’s response to Nepal’s new political situation was slow and noticeably restrained. On September 14, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson issued brief congratulations to Karki. The ministry said in an online statement that China, as always, respects the development path chosen independently by the people of Nepal. In earlier political transitions, Chinese leaders often sent formal congratulatory messages. This time, neither the president nor the prime minister did so, which suggests Beijing’s displeasure with the political change.

Several developments added to China’s initial discomfort. A day after Karki took office, the Dalai Lama sent her a congratulatory message. This was unusual because there has been no tradition of such direct communication from the Dalai Lama to a Nepali prime minister. Nepali media also reported the alleged involvement of some Tibetan groups in the protests and the government has begun looking into those reports.

According to senior government officials, these developments raised concerns in Beijing that the situation might threaten its security interests and investment climate in Nepal. China’s anxiety eased only after prime minister Karki and foreign ministry officials reaffirmed Nepal’s commitment to the One China policy and stated that the country would not permit any activities on Nepali soil targeting China.

Before the protests, K.P. Sharma Oli had travelled to China to attend a military parade marking the eightieth anniversary of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance. He had met Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin during the visit.

Former PM Oli talks of 'external hand', UN welcomes Karki's appointment

Oli has frequently spoken of an ‘external hand’ in the events of September 8 and 9 and has framed the turmoil in geopolitical terms. In a political document presented to the party’s Central Committee, he wrote that the “protest was a calculated attempt to destabilise Nepal’s political system and undermine national sovereignty.” Other political parties in Nepal have avoided such claims.

The United Nations and its agencies in Nepal welcomed Karki’s appointment. Nepal’s development partners, including the United Kingdom, Japan, the European Union and others, have continued their engagement with the new administration and maintained ongoing assistance. The broader international community in Kathmandu, including the UN, appears supportive of free and fair elections to restore the democratic process.

On October 17, one month after taking office, Karki held a diplomatic briefing for the international community in Kathmandu and outlined the government’s foreign policy priorities. She emphasised on controlling corruption, preparing for elections and managing immediate post-crisis economic recovery. The Karki administration has sought support from development partners to conduct elections on March 5 and to assist reconstruction.

Karki stated that her government’s foreign policy remains guided by the Charter of the United Nations, non-alignment, the principles of Panchsheel, international law and norms of world peace, which are core elements of Nepal’s foreign policy.

The Karki-led government, however, has recalled the Ambassadors from 11 countries including China, United Kingdom and the United States, at a time when it is soliciting international support for conducting the elections. It has argued that envoys appointed by the previous administration may conspire to undermine the current government. The decision has caused friction with political parties because the recalled envoys were appointed on political quotas.

Supreme Court issued an interim order instructing the government not to recall the ambassadors, but Kathmandu went ahead. Some ambassadors have already resigned, while others have continued to visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The government has claimed that some envoys had briefed host governments that the current administration would not last long. The decision has drawn criticism because the eleven embassies are now likely to remain vacant for an extended period due to the legislative gap in appointing replacements.

The Karki-led government is seeking international support in two areas, to conduct the March 5 elections and to mobilise funding for reconstruction of infrastructure damaged on September 8 and 9. But progress on both sides remain sluggish.

Major political parties are still reluctant to commit to elections, citing security concerns, and the international community is watching closely to see whether the political environment will allow polls to go ahead. On reconstruction, the government has not yet made serious efforts to secure funding, and the ambassador recall is likely to complicate Nepal’s diplomatic outreach.

The government also remains without a foreign minister at a time when active engagement with major powers is essential. Karki’s administration faces the challenging task of maintaining stable relations with key international partners whose support will be crucial for holding elections and sustaining Nepal’s recovery.

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