Diplomatic Relations:
Formal relations of Nepal with the United Kingdom began in 1816. Since then, relations between the two countries have been characterized by traditional friendship, cordiality and cooperation.
The Treaty of Sugauli (1816) provided for the exchange of accredited Ministers to each other’s court. This continued until 1923 when a new Treaty of Friendship between Great Britain and Nepal was signed. Subsequently, the status of British Representative in Kathmandu was upgraded to the level of an Envoy. In 1934, Nepal established its first diplomatic mission (legation) in London and the two countries exchanged Ministers Plenipotentiary and Envoys Extraordinary. In 1947, the status of these representatives was promoted to the level of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
Bicentennial of Nepal-UK bilateral relations
The Nepal-UK bilateral relations marked its bicentennial in 2016. The bicentennial celebrations contributed a lot to inject a new momentum to the traditionally friendly and cooperative relations between Nepal and the UK.
As a part of the programme for celebrating the bicentennial of the relations, Prince Harry had visited Nepal on 19-28 March 2016. The Prince extended his schedule in Nepal to help build an earthquake-damaged school in Gorkha. While in Gorkha, he had stayed with a British Gurkha family overnight to pay his tribute to the Gurkhas.
Centenary of Nepal-UK Friendship Treaty of 1923
Nepal and the United Kingdom marked the hundred years of signing of the Peace and Friendship Treaty of 1923.
Nepal and the UK organized various programmes to commemorate the centenary of the Friendship Treaty, including a special programme at Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square, Kathmandu on 26 November 2023 and a commemorative programme at Singha Durbar State Hall on 21 December 2023. The Friendship Treaty was signed on 21 December 1923 at the same State Hall in Singha Durbar. Both programmes were attended by Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. N P Saud and Ambassador of the UK to Nepal Mr. Rob Fenn and other dignitaries and high-level officials.
Similarly, in the UK, at the Prime Minister’s Office at No. 10 Downing Street, London, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hosted a special reception to commemorate the centenary of the signing of the 1923 Friendship Treaty on 20 May 2024 which was attended by important personalities from the UK and Nepal alike, including Nepali ambassador to the UK.
Exchange of visits
Exchange of visits at various levels is one of the important aspects of the relations between the two countries which have helped further deepen and expand the traditionally friendly ties. Below are some of the major exchanges of high-level visits:
From Nepal side:
Visits of the Head of State/Government
Visits of the Foreign Ministers
From the UK side:
Visits of the Royal Family Members:
Visits of the Ministers:
Bilateral Consultation Mechanism
Nepal and the UK established a Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) between their Foreign Ministries in 2014. The Mechanism provides an opportunity to discuss the bilateral relations and cooperation as well as share views on matters of regional and global common concerns.
The 6th meeting of Nepal-United Kingdom Bilateral Consultation Mechanism was held on 26 April 2023.
Nepal-UK Parliamentary Friendship Group
Nepal-UK Parliamentary Friendship Group was constituted in the Federal Parliament of Nepal in December 2024.
British Support for Peace, Democracy and Political Process
The British government has continuously been supporting the cause of democracy in Nepal. It has extended its support to the political process of Nepal. The British government also recognized the people's movement of 2006 and consecutive political changes including the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
In material terms as well, the UK contributed to the Nepal Peace Trust Fund to support the peace process.
British Gurkhas
The British Gurkha connection remains one of the enduring and unique strands in the traditional and close bonds of friendship between the two countries. The Gurkha soldiers are the most visible link between Nepal and the UK.
In recognition of British Gurkha’s distinguished service, thirteen British Gorkha Servicemen from Nepal have been conferred with Victoria Crosses (VC), the highest British gallantry honour.
The ex-British Gurkhas veterans have some genuine concerns and grievances over the unequal pension and benefits provided to them as compared to their British counterparts. To address these concerns and grievances, the two governments have formed the Bilateral Committee. In the Committee, the Ambassador of Nepal to the UK will lead the Nepali side while the Deputy Minister of Defence will lead the British side. In the Committee, the representatives of various organizations of British Gurkha veterans are also included as part of the Nepali delegation.
The Bilateral Committee held four rounds of meetings so far.
Development Cooperation:
British cooperation to Nepal started in 1961. Since then, the United Kingdom has always remained one of the largest development partners of Nepal. Nepal also receives the British development cooperation in the form of technical assistance. The British volunteers were engaged in Nepal since 1964 under the British volunteer programme. It has also been providing scholarships to Nepal in different areas for human resource development.
Since 2020, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) (then DFID), is responsible for providing UK's Official Development Assistance (ODA) to developing countries around the world, including Nepal.
The UK’s support to Nepal includes sectors like health, education, poverty alleviation, social development, infrastructures development, human resource development as well as in the form of humanitarian and crisis support.
Lately, the UK has supported in investment facilitation, digitization and oversighting of the financial system as well as strengthening the critical digital infrastructures,
Since 2024, there are various projects of total amount over 145 million British pounds implementing in the areas like green growth, investment, gender, human development, resilience, adaptation etc. under the British Technical Cooperation and Financial Aid.
British Assistance during Earthquake 2015
British Government deployed emergency rescue and relief teams and offered relief aid in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake in 2015. The UK pledged $110 million during the International Conference on Nepal's Reconstruction (ICNR) held in Kathmandu in June 2015.
Trade
Nepal and the UK have appreciable trade relations. Nepal is enjoying the UK’s LDC Tariff treatment, which extends duty-free, quota-free access to almost all products imported from Nepal.
Major exports to the UK are pashmina shawls, leather goods, Nepali paper and paper products, woollen carpets, handicrafts, ready-made garments, silverware and jewellery. Likewise, major imports from UK are machinery and parts, cosmetics, medicine and medical equipment, textiles, beverages, aircraft and spare parts, etc.
The table below reflects the trend of the bilateral trade between the two countries.
(Value in USD in thousand)
|
Year |
Export |
Import |
Trade Balance |
|
2019 |
7,883.416 |
15,260.231 |
-73,76.815 |
|
2021 |
23,542 |
30,302 |
-6,760 |
|
2022 |
23,779 |
45,950 |
-22,171 |
Source: TEPC
Investment
Major investments from UK in Nepal are in the areas of banking, tourism, education and technology. There are some British joint ventures in the areas of hotel, travel & trekking, tea production, education, garment, biotechnology and consultancy.
The government investment from British International Investment (BII) alone has reached over US$ 100 million, besides growing investment from the private sector as well.
As of July 2023, there were 206 projects with British FDI of total NRs. 14,375.43 million, creating 11,933 jobs.
Tourism
Tourist arrivals from UK in the last three years have been in generally upward trajectory. The UK is among the primary tourism generating markets for Nepal. Given their historical linkages and increasing people-to-people contacts, the prospects for increasing the tourist inflow from UK are quite promising. The arrival of tourists from the UK in recent years has been reflected in the table below:
|
Year |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
No. of Tourists |
61,144 |
11,762 |
8,680 |
45095 |
52,865 |
Source: Tourism Statistics 2023, MOCIT
Education
Education has been one of the key areas of bilateral cooperation between Nepal and the UK and was an important component in the past bilateral projects. Nepal benefitted immensely from the Nepali scholars who received higher education and returned to the country, while the UK also benefited from those of Nepali scholars who received higher education and stayed in the UK, contributing to the economic, scientific, technological, social and cultural development of the respective countries.
Similarly, the Chevening Scholarship program and the British Council Kathmandu along with the British School and various British INGOs have played significant role in bringing youths of both countries closer and promoting Nepal-UK cultural bonds.
Foreign Employment
An MOU on healthcare professional recruitment was concluded between Nepal and the UK in August 2022. A protocol on the MoU regarding recruitment of nurse was signed in July 2023.
Culture and people-people contact
The active and vibrant Nepali diaspora (over 150,000) living in the UK and the British Gurkha soldiers, veterans and their families in the UK and back home in Nepal are the most visible linkages between the two countries. They have contributed a lot in bringing the two cultures and peoples together and consolidating and further building on the centuries-old ties between Nepal and the UK.
Europe and America Division
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Kathmandu
As of January 2025
