A long-standing border dispute between Nepal and India has resurfaced after India and China announced plans to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Lipulekh Pass.
The route, suspended after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, is set to reopen from June to August. Nepal has objected, arguing that the pass falls within territory claimed by Kathmandu. The Himalayan nation sent a diplomatic protest to both India and China over the proposed pilgrimage route. India, in turn, has rejected Nepal’s assertion, dismissing Kathmandu's territorial claims over the region as an "unilateral artificial enlargement." China so far has maintained its silence.
India, however, left room for dialogue and diplomacy. Randhir Jaiswal, India's external affairs ministry spokesperson, stated that New Delhi remains open to a constructive interaction with Nepal on all issues in the bilateral relationship, including on resolving border issues through dialogue and diplomacy.
Instead of allowing competing claims to harden into diplomatic friction, all sides should prioritize dialogue and institutional diplomacy. India, Nepal and China should engage and seek solutions grounded in historical treaties, maps, established practices and mutual sensitivity.
