NEW DELHI, June 2026: Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal reiterated Kathmandu’s longstanding position on the Lipulekh-Limpiyadhura boundary dispute during his recent visit to India, reaffirming Nepal’s claim over the contested territory. The issue remains a sensitive point in bilateral ties, particularly since tensions escalated following the publication of Nepal’s revised political map in 2020, which included the disputed areas.
Addressing the matter, Khanal emphasised border disputes should be resolved through dialogue and existing diplomatic mechanisms. He underscored the importance of sustained engagement and constructive communication between both countries, noting that a peaceful and mutually acceptable resolution would require continued political will and cooperation.
Lipulekh-Limpiyadhura
The Lipulekh-Limpiyadhura region, located at the tri-junction of Nepal, India, and China, holds strategic and historical significance, and has periodically surfaced as a point of contention in Nepal–India relations.
The dispute is a long-running border disagreement over who owns the Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura area at the India–Nepal–China tri-junction. Nepal says the boundary should follow the Kali River from Limpiyadhura, which would place the area inside Nepal, while India says the river’s source is closer to Kalapani, which would place the territory in India’s Uttarakhand state.
Sugauli Treaty
The issue is tied to the 1816 Sugauli Treaty, which set the Kali River as the border but did not clearly define its source, leaving room for competing interpretations. It also matters strategically because Lipulekh is a mountain pass used for trade and pilgrimage, so the dispute is not just about maps but also access, sovereignty and regional geopolitics.
Nepal sees it as land that was taken or wrongly administered, while India sees it as territory it has historically controlled. That is why the disagreement keeps resurfacing whenever road work, trade, or pilgrimage routes through the area are discussed.
