Nepal declines foreign rescue teams but accepts aid amid flood crisis, citing 2015 earthquake lessons

Nepal has declined offers from several countries, including India and China, to send specialised search-and-rescue teams, as it battles one of its worst flood disasters in years. It said that its own security agencies are capable of handling the operation. The decision comes even as 517 foreign nationals remain missing following the Bhotekoshi floods, with nationals of India, China, the US, Malaysia, Ukraine, the UK, Australia, Canada and several other countries among those unaccounted for. However, Nepal's foreign Shishir Khanal clarified that Nepal had not turned down assistance from friendly nations or the international community. He said the government was ready to seek international technical expertise if rescue efforts involved specialised challenges, particularly tunnels or other complex structures. “Where we need additional technical capacity, we will cooperate as necessary,” The Himalayan Times quotes Khanal as saying, adding that Nepal remained in touch with friendly countries and would seek technical support depending on the specific requirements of the rescue operation. At first glance, Nepal's decision appears counterintuitive. With hundreds missing and rescue operations underway in difficult terrain, additional manpower and specialised equipment from neighbouring countries could potentially help. Yet Kathmandu appears to be drawing a distinction between accepting humanitarian assistance and allowing foreign rescue teams to operate on its soil.

Lesson from 2015 earthquake

The key reason behind Nepal's decision lies in its experience during the devastating 2015 earthquake. According to a senior foreign ministry official, Nepal's government remembered the coordination and management problems that emerged when large numbers of foreign search-and-rescue teams arrived after the earthquake. The presence of multiple teams, along with competition among countries, created difficulties in managing the response. This time, the Balen Shah-government has therefore opted for a more centralised approach. The decision was reportedly taken on the recommendation of the Nepali Army and police, which believe Nepal's own security agencies can manage the search-and-rescue operation. The foreign ministry official summed up the decision: “We received similar requests from China and other countries too, but we had to turn down the request,” the Kathmandu Post quoting foreign ministry official saying.

Why say no to teams, but yes to aid?

Nepal's approach does not amount to shutting the door on international assistance altogether. Instead, Kathmandu has asked foreign governments to channel financial contributions through a one-door mechanism, the Prime Minister's Relief Fund. Officials have indicated that additional financial aid and other support will be sought during the reconstruction phase. That distinction is significant. Foreign rescue teams mean multiple governments and agencies operating simultaneously on the ground, potentially creating overlapping chains of command, logistical demands and coordination problems. Financial assistance, by contrast, allows Nepal's authorities to retain control over how resources are distributed and where they are needed. An emergency response team (ERT) has been set up which would "serve as the central coordinating body within the ministry to facilitate search, rescue, information verification, and consular assistance in respect of foreign nationals affected by, missing in, or otherwise connected to the flood incident,” a foreign ministry statement said according to The Post.

India, China and others offered help

India was among the countries seeking to send a rescue team. After hundreds of Indian nationals went missing or lost contact, New Delhi requested permission to deploy the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to Nepal. China and several other countries also made similar requests. The ministry of external affairs said on Friday that it was waiting for a response from the Nepal government. "We have also made a specific offer to the Nepal authorities to dispatch NDRF teams along with their associated equipment that can help in ongoing search and rescue operations and bring relief assistance to people impacted by the tragedy. We await a response from the government of Nepal on this front. We stand ready to offer any assistance that the Nepal authorities might require," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. India has already sent more than 47.5 tonnes of relief supplies to Nepal, including medicines and food packets. It has also offered Bailey bridges and prefab truss bridges to support relief and connectivity. The US, UK and World Bank have also announced financial support, while the Asian Development Bank has offered longer-term assistance aimed at improving Nepal's disaster preparedness, early-warning systems and infrastructure resilience. US secretary of state Marco Rubio said Washington was ready to provide humanitarian assistance, while British foreign secretary Ed Miliband expressed support and sought updates on rescue efforts involving missing British nationals.