Key Takeaways
- Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah announced that the government will involve the United Kingdom in diplomatic talks to resolve the Lipulekh Pass border dispute with India.
- Shah acknowledged that both sides have made territorial encroachments and stressed that all disputes will be settled through dialogue, not unilateral actions.
- The Lipulekh Pass dispute originated from Nepal’s 2020 political map that claimed Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh as Nepali territory under the 1816 Sugauli Treaty.
- India has consistently rejected Nepal’s claims, asserting that the pass has been a long‑standing route for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and is not a new development.
- The resumption of India‑China trade via Lipulekh in August 2025 reignited tensions, prompting Nepal to lodge an objection and reaffirm its territorial claim.
- Shah’s outreach to the UK is rooted in the historical fact that the border was delineated during British‑India rule, giving London a stake in the matter.
- A diplomatic solution involving India, Nepal, China and potentially the UK could stabilize the region and preserve the pass’s strategic and pilgrimage importance.
Prime Minister Shah’s Parliamentary Address
Addressing the Nepalese Parliament for the first time since taking office, Prime Minister Balendra Shah reiterated his commitment to resolving the Lipulekh Pass dispute through dialogue and diplomacy. He emphasized that the government would not pursue unilateral measures but would instead engage all concerned parties in constructive talks. Shah’s remarks were aimed at calming domestic political pressures while signaling a willingness to seek a mutually acceptable settlement with India.
Involvement of the United Kingdom
Shah disclosed that Nepal had already communicated with the United Kingdom regarding the border issue, noting that London’s historical role in the demarcation of the frontier during the British‑India era gives it a legitimate interest. He argued that because the boundary was originally drawn when British India administered the region, the UK should take an active interest in facilitating a resolution. This outreach marks a diplomatic expansion beyond the traditional bilateral talks with India and China.
Recognition of Mutual Encroachments
In a candid admission, Shah stated that his administration had become aware that Nepal, too, had encroached on Indian territory in several locations. He clarified that the problem is not one‑sided; both countries have made territorial incursions that need to be addressed. By acknowledging Nepal’s own violations, Shah sought to frame the dispute as a shared responsibility requiring balanced diplomatic negotiation rather than a blame‑centric narrative.
Historical Background of the Lipulekh Pass Dispute
The Lipulekh Pass has been a flashpoint since 2020, when then‑Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli released a new political map showing Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh as part of Nepal. Kathmandu bases its claim on the Sugauli Treaty of 1816, which it argues delineated the frontier in its favor. India condemned the map as a unilateral act, insisting that any border disagreement must be settled through diplomatic dialogue rather than cartographic assertions.
Escalation Linked to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
The dispute gained renewed prominence after India and China resumed the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Lipulekh in 2025, ending a nearly five‑year hiatus. The pass serves as a vital route for pilgrims traveling to the sacred Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar, as well as a strategic trade corridor linking the two Asian giants. Nepal objected to the resumption of trade through the route, reaffirming its territorial claim and warning that any activity without its consent would be considered a violation of its sovereignty.
India’s Official Position
India’s Ministry of External Affairs, through spokesperson Randeep Jaiswal, has repeatedly rejected Nepal’s claims over Lipulekh. Jaiswal stressed that the pass has been a recognized route for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra since 1954 and that its use is not a recent development. He characterized Nepal’s territorial assertions as “neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence,” maintaining that India’s stance has been clear and consistent: the issue must be resolved through bilateral negotiations, not unilateral mapping or protests.
Prospects for a Diplomatic Resolution
Prime Minister Shah’s invitation to the UK, coupled with his openness to dialogue with India and China, suggests a multilateral approach may be on the table. Given the pass’s dual significance—as a pilgrimage route for Hindus and Buddhists and as a trade artery linking South Asia with Tibet—a peaceful settlement would benefit regional stability, economic cooperation, and religious tourism. Continued engagement, confidence‑building measures, and possibly third‑party facilitation could help transform a long‑standing cartographic disagreement into a mutually accepted boundary agreement.