Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah has called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the ongoing border dispute with India, but his remarks have stirred controversy as he urged the United Kingdom to take an interest in addressing the issue. Speaking in Parliament on Sunday, Shah stated that both India and Nepal have encroached upon each other's territory, and he revealed that his government has already discussed the matter with London and China.
Background of the Border Dispute
The border tensions flared up in early May, just over a month after Shah assumed office. Kathmandu protested India's decision to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through Uttarakhand, crossing the Lipulekh Pass, which Nepal claims as its own. Nepal raised the issue with both India and China. India firmly rejected Nepal's claims, describing them as unjustified and not based on historical facts or evidence, and stated that such unilateral territorial claims are untenable.
Shah's Call for UK Involvement
Shah, a former Kathmandu mayor and rapper-turned-politician, has now opened a new diplomatic front by seeking UK intervention. He said, "We have spoken not only with India and China, but also with the UK government. Our view is that the UK should also take an interest, as the issue dates back to the period when British India left the region." The Prime Minister acknowledged that both sides have encroached on each other's land in multiple places and stressed the need for both sides to sit down and examine the matter.
India's Position and Response
India maintains that the Kalapani area, including Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh, is part of Uttarakhand. Nepal had previously objected to the India-China decision to expand trade through the Lipulekh Pass. According to Shah, India's response indicated that both governments would form teams comprising historians, surveyors, and territorial experts to seek a resolution through table talks.
Nepal's Clarification on Encroachment
Nepal's foreign ministry clarified that Shah's comments about Nepal encroaching on Indian territory referred to no-man's land and cross-border occupation between the two countries. The remarks come amid efforts to schedule a visit by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Kathmandu. While Nepalese media had earlier reported a mid-May visit, the Indian government later stated that no date had been finalized. The border dispute has the potential to further delay high-level contacts between India and the new government in Nepal.
