India rejects Nepal’s territorial claims over Lipulekh Pass
India recently rejected Nepal’s territorial claims over the Lipulekh Pass amid objections to the proposed Kailash Mansarovar Yatra route through the area. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) termed Nepal’s claims “untenable” and not based on historical facts.
Lipulekh Pass, in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district, lies near the India-China-Nepal trijunction and has been used for India-China border trade since 1954 and the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. Nepal claims the region—including Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura—as its territory based on the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli, arguing the Kali River originates at Limpiyadhura. India maintains the river starts near Kalapani village, placing the pass under its administration, and views Nepal’s 2020 map update as a unilateral enlargement.
On May 3, 2026, Nepal sent diplomatic notes to India and China protesting the Lipulekh route for the yatra, reiterating its sovereignty claims. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded that India’s position remains consistent, emphasizing dialogue for boundary issues while rejecting “artificial enlargement of territorial claims.” This echoes prior rejections in August 2025 over trade resumption and March 2026 announcements.
