The Core Issue
• Nepal has raised official concerns regarding the upcoming Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, scheduled for June-August.
• The dispute centers on the pilgrimage route passing through the Kalapani-Limpiyadhura-Lipulekh region.
Nepal’s Position
• Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that the region east of the Mahakali river is an integral part of its sovereign territory, citing the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli.
• Kathmandu has formally conveyed its opposition regarding the use of this route to both India and China through diplomatic channels.
India’s Response
• The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) rejected Kathmandu’s claims, stating they are not supported by historical facts or evidence.
• MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified that the Lipulekh Pass is not a new development and has been the established route for the Yatra since 1954.
• India maintains that it is open to resolving agreed outstanding boundary issues through constructive dialogue and diplomacy.
Diplomatic Context and Upcoming Visit
• This development casts a shadow over Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s planned official visit to Kathmandu.
• Diplomats from both nations have been in consultations for the past three months to advance bilateral ties.
• There is current uncertainty over whether Misri will secure a meeting with Nepal’s new Prime Minister, Balendra Shah, who has enforced strict diplomatic protocols regarding foreign envoy meetings since March.
• Previously, Misri had met with then-Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli in August 2025, shortly before Oli’s ouster in September.