- India open to resolving boundary issues via dialogue.
India on Sunday dismissed Nepal’s objection to the upcoming Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Lipulekh Pass, rejecting Kathmandu’s territorial claims over the region as “untenable.”
The response from Ministry of External Affairs came hours after Nepal’s foreign ministry objected to India and China preparing for the annual pilgrimage through Lipulekh without consultation, asserting that the area belongs to Nepal.
Last week, the MEA announced the annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will take place from June to August via two routes: Lipulekh Pass and Nathu La in Sikkim. Following the announcement, China said it is also making preparations for the pilgrimage.
The pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region holds religious significance to Hindus as well as Jains and Buddhists. The Yatra was resumed last year after a gap of nearly five years as part of efforts to normalise the relations between India and China.
India Reiterates Long-Standing Position
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “India’s position in this regard had been consistent and clear. Lipulekh Pass has been a long standing route for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra since 1954 and the Yatra through this route has been going on for decades.”
“This is not a new development. As regards territorial claims, India has consistently maintained that such claims are neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence,” he said.
Jaiswal further added: “Such unilateral artificial enlargement of territorial claims is untenable.”
Nepal Reiterates Territorial Claims
Nepal’s foreign ministry maintained that Lipulekh, along with Limpiyadhura and Kalapani, falls within its territory based on the Sugauli Treaty.
“The Nepal government is clear and fully committed to its stand that Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani… are its inseparable territories,” it said, adding that it has conveyed its position to both India and China.
Background Of Boundary Dispute
The boundary issue resurfaced sharply in 2020 when Nepal released a revised political map including the disputed regions, a move rejected by India.
The ties between the two countries had come under strain following the development, although there were expectations of improvement in relations recently.
India said it remains open to resolving outstanding boundary issues through “dialogue and diplomacy,” even as it moves ahead with preparations for the pilgrimage scheduled between June and August via Lipulekh Pass and Nathu La.
The development comes ahead of a planned visit by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Kathmandu, though it remains unclear whether the trip will be affected by the renewed tensions.
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