Kathmandu, 24 Aug: Nepal has sent diplomatic notes to India eight times in the past 10 years over the encroachment on its western territories including Limpiyadhura, Lipulek and Kalapani and other border encroachments. This is the eighth time Nepal has sent a diplomatic note to India, while the previous seven notes have remained unanswered. It has also sent diplomatic notes to China three times over the same issue of border and use of Nepali land. China has also responded only once.Â
Expressing dissatisfaction over the recent agreement between India and China to trade through its territory Lipulek without Nepal’s consent . India and China signed a bilateral trade agreement in New Delhi last Tuesday. According to sources in the Prime Minister’s Office, the government sent separate diplomatic notes to both countries on Thursday.
Nepal has sent a note to both countries expressing its dissatisfaction over the agreement reached by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi with India to resume trade through the Nepali territory of Lipulek during his visit to India. There has been strong opposition in Nepal from the parliament to the citizen level after the two neighboring countries reached an agreement regarding the use of Nepal’s land.
The diplomatic note sent to India has made it clear that a solution to the border dispute will be sought through discussions through the mechanism established between Nepal and India and that this will provide a solution. The Home Secretary-level mechanism is directly working on the border dispute with India. Similarly, the ‘Boundary Working Group’ under the Survey Department is also working on the border dispute. Apart from that, there is also a Nepal-India Joint Commission.
The largest formal mechanism for discussing bilateral issues is headed by the Foreign Ministers of both countries. There are three mechanisms under the Survey Department to work on the border dispute between Nepal and India. There is a ‘Boundary Working Group’ (BWG) headed by the Director General of the Survey Department of Nepal and the Surveyor General of India. Its meetings are held alternately every year. The meeting of the ‘Boundary Working Group’ was held in New Delhi on 22-23 July after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to India was scheduled.
Notes to India
- May 2015Â : India and China object to the agreement to make Lipulek a trade route
- 6 November 2019Â : Objecting to the political map released by India, Nepal claims that Kalapani, Lipulek and Limpiyadhura belong to Nepal.
- 21 November 2019Â : After India did not respond, another note with historical facts stating that Nepali territory extends to Limpiyadhura
- 11 May 2020Â : Protests against encroachment after construction and inauguration of road to Mansarovar through Nepali land
- 22 November 2020Â : Information about Nepal releasing a map of Chuche including its land up to Limpiyadhura.
- 17 August 2021Â : Objection to the incident of 33-year-old Jaisingh Dhami being swept away and missing after Indian security forces cleared Tuin’s latha in Mahakali and the Indian helicopter patrolling Nepali ‘airspace’
- 6 December 2022Â : Objections to road expansion in Mahakali
- 21 August 2025Â : Dissatisfaction over India and China’s agreement to trade through Nepali territory, Lipulek Pass
Notes to China
- May 2015 : Objections to China and India’s agreement to make Lipulek a trade route
- 6November 2019Â : Information about Nepal’s objection to India’s construction and inauguration of a road through Nepali territory to reach the pilgrimage site of Mansarovar in China.
- 21 August 2025 : Dissatisfaction with China for not consulting Nepal before agreeing with India to use and trade Lipulek as it is Nepali territory.
