New Delhi: India has firmly rejected any third-party involvement in resolving its boundary dispute with Nepal.
The rejection came days after Nepalese Prime Minister Balen Shah suggested that the UK and China could play a role in addressing the issue.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the two countries already have established bilateral mechanisms to handle all border matters. He stated that there is no role for any third party in what is a bilateral matter between India and Nepal. Jaiswal noted that around 98% of the India-Nepal boundary has already been demarcated.
He further said the remaining unresolved segments have largely arisen due to changes in the course of the Gandak River. He also pointed to instances of cross-border occupation and encroachment of No-Man’s Land in demarcated stretches, adding that both sides are currently jointly mapping those areas.
India and Nepal have a long-standing dispute over the Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani areas. New Delhi maintains that these territories are part of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The three areas lie near the Indo-China border.
Shah, a rapper-turned-politician, had told Nepal’s Parliament that while Kathmandu continues talks with New Delhi, it is also in touch with China and Britain. He argued that Britain should be involved because the dispute dates to the time of British India’s departure from the region.
Jaiswal said India had taken note of Shah’s remarks and also of a subsequent clarification issued by Nepal’s Foreign Ministry.
