During the June 2020 territorial dispute over Kalapani, India blamed tensions on a newly assertive Nepal's deepening relations with China. But beyond the accusations, this reflects a new reality: the power equations in South Asia have been redrawn, to make space for China. Nepal did not turn northwards overnight. Its ties with China have deep historical roots built on Buddhism, dating to the early first millennium. While India's unofficial 2015 blockade provided momentum to the rift with Delhi, Nepal has long wanted deeper ties with Beijing, to counteract India's oppressive intimacy. With China's growing South Asian & global ambitions, Nepal now has a new primary bilateral partner & Nepalis are forging a path towards modernity with its help, both in the remote borderlands & in the cities. This text offers a long view of Nepal's foreign relations, today underpinned by China's world-power status.includes bibliographical reference and index.