Federal Level Stakeholders’ Discussion Seminar
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Geopolitics and Role of Military Diplomacy

Military diplomacy in Nepal is found to have been enhanced over the years, as seen during the ‘unofficial’ blockade days, wherein Nepal Army played a key role not just in minimizing the impact of blockade but also for the negotiation. However, in the past year, Nepal Army has been the pivot in controversies of varied sorts, with NA being dragged even to the parliamentary discourses. These controversies surrounding the Nepal Army, and other challenges pertaining to military diplomacy have brought forth a need to carry out further discussions.

With the motive to initiate a wider engagement of stakeholders to discuss the relationship between Nepal’s military diplomacy and heightening geopolitical tension in Nepal as well as to share CESIF’s research findings, Centre for Social Inclusion and Federalism (CESIF) organized a seminar on ‘Geopolitics and Role of Military Diplomacy’ on 29 December, 2022 at Aloft Hotel, Kathmandu, Nepal. The session brought together distinguished panelists, Dr. Minendra Rijal (Former Minister of Defence), Lt. Gen. Bala Nanda Sharma (Nepal Army), Lt. Gen. Pawan Bahadur Pande (Nepal Army), and Maj. Gen. Purna Silwal (Nepal Army).




The objective of the program was to look into expansion in the practices of military diplomacy from past to most recent and also in light of the current geopolitical condition. It also strived to hold a public discussion in the program where experts, former army officials, scholars, researchers and journalists discussed security issues and role of Nepal Army. Through a public discussion the program aimed to accumulate opinion and suggestion to develop policy recommendations for the Government of Nepal, the Nepal Army, and other government officials.