Lipulekh Dispute: India and Nepal Differ on Border Claims

The Indian government has refuted Nepal’s assertions over the Lipulekh Pass, a region that is central to a disagreement between the two nations regarding their shared border. India has expressed its commitment to resolving the disagreements through negotiation and diplomatic efforts. The MEA emphasized the historical context of border trade between India and China through Lipulekh, which commenced in 1954 and was later interrupted. India’s stance is that Nepal’s territorial claims are unjustifiable and lack historical grounding, also rejecting any unilateral expansion of territorial claims. Nepal had previously contested the decision by India and China to open a trade route through the pass, asserting its sovereignty over the area.