Every war begins in a particular place, for reasons such as political decisions, historical grievances, or strategic calculations. Yet its consequences rarely remain confined to the territory where the war took place. In an increasingly interconnected world, consequences of wars reverberate far beyond national borders through disrupted trade, volatile energy and food markets, forced migration, financial instability, and humanitarian crises. Nepal, though not directly involved in most contemporary conflicts, offers a compelling example of how wars fought elsewhere can affect the lives, livelihoods, and security of its citizens.
Nepal's experience
Nepal's own history shows that conflict's consequences extend long beyond the violence itself. The decade-long Maoist insurgency (1996-2006) grew out of political exclusion, socio-economic inequality, and widespread dissatisfaction with governance. It claimed approximately 17,000 lives, left more than 1,300 people forcibly disappeared, and displaced up to 200,000 people, while damaging infrastructure, disrupting education and economic activity, diverting resources from development to security, and degrading the environment through deforestation in conflict-affected areas. The war ended with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (2006). It was followed by the 19-day People's Movement II, which restored Parliament and ultimately led to the monarchy's abolition in 2008 and the establishment of a federal democratic republic. Yet many underlying governance challenges remained unresolved, resurfacing during the September 8-9, 2025 Gen Z uprising, where anti-corruption protests and opposition to a social media ban left at least 75 dead, more than 2,000 injured, caused major economic losses, and exposed serious institutional weaknesses. Recently, in July 2026, a dispute over a loud sound system near a temple in Kaptanganj, Sunsari, compounded by an earlier row over a religious flag, spiralled within hours into a deadly clash, leaving one dead and 22 injured that night alone, as protesters vandalised and set fire to homes, medical facilities and vehicles in the area. The unrest did not stay contained: it spread into Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha and Parsa over the following days, triggering indefinite curfews, army mobilisation, and further police firing that raised the death toll to three. Together, these incidents demonstrate that conflict imposes lasting human, economic, institutional, and environmental costs. Nepal's own experience makes these consequences clear; the sections below show how wars beyond its borders can generate similar indirect impacts on the country.
Russia-Ukraine War
Globally, this pattern extends beyond Nepal. The Russia-Ukraine war began with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Moscow has cited security concerns and NATO's expansion, while Kyiv and most other governments call it a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty. The conflict has caused nearly 56,000 civilian casualties and displaced close to 10 million Ukrainians. Military losses have been immense too: as of July 2026, Russian personnel losses stand at around 1.44 million, while Ukrainian military deaths have exceeded 212,000. For Nepal, at least 118 men recruited into the Russian armed forces have been confirmed dead, with another 132 missing, prompting the government to suspend labour permits for Russia and Ukraine in January 2024. The war also disrupted global fertiliser, grain, and energy markets. Between January and April 2022 alone, muriate of potash prices rose 53 percent, phosphate 38 percent, and urea 9 percent, driving a 40 percent rise in wheat prices; Nepal still faces an annual fertiliser shortfall as a result. Beyond agriculture, global income fell by 0.7 percent, with low-income countries losing 1 percent, largely due to rising energy prices. Tourism took a hit as well, with Russia- and Ukraine-dependent destinations like Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, and Turkey seeing steep declines.
Israel-Hamas War
The Israel-Hamas war began on 7 October 2023, when Hamas launched attacks into southern Israel, killing approximately 1,300 people and taking hostages. Hamas linked the attack to decades of occupation and blockade experienced by Palestinians, while Israel responded with a large-scale military campaign in Gaza. The conflict has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, displaced approximately 90 percent of Gaza's population, and continued despite a ceasefire in October 2025, with more than 1,100 additional reported deaths. Beyond its devastating human toll, the war has severely damaged Gaza's economy and environment. By 2024, Gaza's GDP had fallen to just 13 percent of its 2022 level, unemployment reached 80 percent, and widespread destruction of businesses, agricultural land, water infrastructure, and sanitation systems erased decades of development, with reconstruction needs estimated at US$70 billion. The conflict also affected Nepal directly. Ten Nepali agriculture students were killed during the attack on Kibbutz Alumim, while another student, Bipin Joshi, was taken hostage and later confirmed to have died in captivity, illustrating how conflicts rooted in local disputes can have far-reaching humanitarian and economic consequences beyond the immediate battlefield.
Iran-Israel-United States conflict
The Iran-Israel-United States conflict traces back to longstanding tensions over Iran's nuclear programme, regional proxy warfare, and competing security interests. It escalated into open war after Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities in June 2025, culminating in coordinated US-Israeli attacks on Iran's nuclear infrastructure on 28 February 2026. Iran retaliated against Israeli and US military assets and disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a route carrying roughly 20-30 percent of global oil and gas supplies. A June 2026 ceasefire briefly held before fighting resumed in July. By the time the ceasefire took hold, at least 3,468 people, including hundreds of women and children, had been killed and over 26,500 injured in Iran. Renewed July strikes added at least 50 more deaths and 500 injuries, and several senior Iranian leaders, including the Supreme Leader, were also killed. On the US side, 17 military personnel died and more than 420 were wounded. Casualties extended beyond the belligerents too, with at least 11 deaths reported in the UAE. The war also triggered major economic and environmental fallout. Brent crude prices surged from below US$60 to over US$110 per barrel, global growth was projected to slow from 2.9 to 2.5 percent, and inflation was set to rise to 4.0 percent. Gulf tourism economies like Dubai saw sharp declines, with US$34-56 billion in spending at risk, while military operations worsened air pollution and threatened marine ecosystems. For Nepal, the impact came chiefly through rising fuel costs and energy insecurity as an oil-importing nation, and growing uncertainty for its roughly 1.7 million migrant workers across the Gulf.
Nepal's vulnerability to global conflicts
Taken together, these conflicts demonstrate that wars fought abroad can expose significant vulnerabilities within Nepal's economy and society. Nepal remains heavily dependent on imported fuel, global trade routes, and remittances, with around 40 percent of remittance inflows originating from more than 1.7 million Nepali workers employed across the Gulf. As a result, international conflicts can disrupt energy supplies, increase the cost of essential goods, threaten overseas employment, and create uncertainty for migrant workers, businesses, students, and their families.
Reducing Nepal's vulnerability
To reduce its exposure to future global shocks, Nepal should strengthen its energy security by accelerating reservoir-based hydropower, expanding solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources, and focusing on electric vehicle policy to reduce dependence on imported petroleum. It should also focus on domestic fertiliser production, revive key manufacturing industries, and strengthen agro-processing to improve economic resilience. Alongside these measures, Nepal should continue pursuing a balanced and principled foreign policy that safeguards its national interests while maintaining constructive relations with all partners.
Nepal's contribution to global peace
Nepal is not only affected by war but also contributes to international peace. As one of the world's largest troop-contributing countries to United Nations peacekeeping operations, it had over 4,000 personnel deployed across nine missions as of June 2026. Since its first deployment in 1958, more than 165,000 Nepali peacekeepers have served in 44 UN missions, with 74 losing their lives and 77 sustaining injuries while promoting international peace and security.
Conclusion
Ultimately, these conflicts reaffirm a fundamental reality: war benefits no one, and no one truly wants the devastation it leaves behind. Regardless of its causes or objectives, conflict results in loss of life, displacement, economic decline, destruction of infrastructure, institutional disruption, and lasting environmental damage, with consequences that extend far beyond national borders and long after hostilities cease. No war's address is truly isolated; its costs eventually travel to everyone's door, including Nepal's. Therefore, preserving peace is a shared responsibility of all nations and individuals. As the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, Nepal carries a distinctive legacy of peace, compassion, and non-violence. In this spirit, Nepal urges the international community to strengthen its commitment to global peace, dialogue, mutual respect and cooperation. This is not merely a moral aspiration but a global imperative for protecting humanity, preserving the environment, and ensuring a stable and sustainable future for all.
Lama is the Coordinator at Academia Industry Cooperation at the Office of the Vice Chancellor, KU
