New Delhi: India has dismissed Nepal’s objections to the resumption of border trade with China through the Lipulekh Pass, calling Kathmandu’s territorial claims “untenable” and “not based on historical facts.”
The response from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) came after Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs objected to India–China trade activities at the Himalayan pass, which lies on the India–China border but is also claimed by Nepal.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India’s position on the issue has been “consistent and clear.” He stressed that border trade through Lipulekh has existed since 1954 and only paused recently due to the pandemic and other developments. “Nepal’s territorial claims are neither justified nor supported by historical facts and evidence,” he added, while reaffirming India’s willingness to resolve boundary matters with Nepal through diplomatic dialogue.
Earlier, Nepal’s foreign ministry urged India to refrain from activities such as road construction, expansion, or trade through Lipulekh, asserting the territory belongs to Nepal. Kathmandu also said it had conveyed the same position to China, and reiterated its commitment to resolving the boundary dispute peacefully, based on historical treaties, maps, and evidence.
The Lipulekh row resurfaces as India and China revive trade through three designated Himalayan points—Lipulekh, Shipki La, and Nathu La.
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