Books​ Reviews

All Roads Lead North weaves insights from centuries of history to on-the-ground reporting along Nepal’s borders to present the Himalayan nation’s long-standing relationships with its neighbours. Importantly, Amish Raj Mulmi explains that the 2015 Nepal blockade was one of the major turning points in the changing equations of Nepal with its neighbours while the Kalapani territory dispute in 2020 worsened Kathmandu’s relations with India. The book provides a deep dive into Nepal-China and Nepal-Tibet historical economic and cultural relations based on Himalayan trade and Buddhism, showing that Kathmandu did not turn northwards overnight. In recent years, with China’s growing ambitions in the subcontinent as well as globally, Nepal has now found itself a primary bilateral partner that will help foster development and modernity in the country. Overall, All Roads Lead North provides a compelling narrative on a small country’s foreign relations, even as it often finds itself caught between two neighbourhood giants.