India has acknowledged it could abandon its long-standing policy of supporting both multi-party democracy and the constitutional monarchy in Nepal in view of the mass movement for a new constitution in the Himalayan nation.

Against a backdrop of pro-democracy protests in Nepal that show no sign of abating, India’s top diplomat clarified New Delhi’s traditional “twin pillars” policy, telling a hastily convened news conference at the weekend that it was for the Nepalese people to decide on their political system.