Nepal–India Border Dispute (International Relations)
Nepal–India Border Dispute (International Relations)
Why In News:
Nepal's Prime Minister made a remarkable admission that Nepal has encroached upon Indian territory, a statement that has sparked a diplomatic row and domestic political debate in Nepal.
Background: India–Nepal Border Disputes
India and Nepal share an open border of approximately 1,751 km under the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship.
Key contested areas: Kalapani (trijunction of India, Nepal, China); Susta (West Champaran, UP); Lipulekh Pass (used by India for Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra).
In 2020, Nepal released a revised political map claiming Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura, triggered by India's inauguration of a road link to Lipulekh Pass.
The Sugauli Treaty (1816) between British India and Nepal is the foundational agreement governing the border.
Key Facts for Prelims
Treaty of Peace and Friendship, 1950:Grants Nepali citizens equal treatment with Indian citizens in most spheres.
Dispute:
Nepal claims the river originates further northwest at Limpiyadhura.
India claims the river begins at the springs in Kalapani.
Lipulekh Pass: A high-altitude pass (5,334 m) in the Himalayas used for India–China trade and Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. India–China border trade through Lipulekh was agreed in 1954 Panchsheel Agreement and resumed in 1992.