No role for third parties in bilateral matters between India, Nepal: Centre, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• India rejected Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah's call for third-party intervention in border disputes, asserting that such matters are bilateral.
• The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stated that "no role for any third parties" exists in India-Nepal bilateral issues.
• India reiterated the existence of established bilateral mechanisms to address all aspects of boundary matters.
• This statement followed PM Shah's remarks in the Nepali Parliament on May 31, claiming mutual encroachment of territory and seeking intervention from countries like the U.K. and China.
• Approximately 98% of the India-Nepal boundary has been demarcated, with some segments remaining unresolved due to factors like the shifting course of the Gandak river and no-man's land encroachments.
• The Indian response coincided with the visit of Rabi Lamichhane, chairman of Nepal's Rastriya Swatantra Party, to India, where he met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Detailed Insights:

• Nepal PM Balendra Shah had suggested that both India and Nepal have encroached upon each other's territory and advocated for a joint study and resolution.
• India emphasized that existing bilateral mechanisms are sufficient for resolving boundary issues, including demarcation and mapping of disputed segments.
• The Gandak river, a transboundary river, is cited as a natural factor contributing to the complexity of some unresolved border segments due to its shifting course.
• Cases of cross-border occupation and encroachment of no-man's land in demarcated segments are being jointly mapped by both countries.
• Rabi Lamichhane's visit, invited by the BJP foreign affairs cell, focused on strengthening development partnership and people-to-people ties.
• His visit gained significance as it occurred shortly after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's scheduled Nepal visit was reportedly canceled due to PM Shah's disinclination to meet him.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Bilateral Mechanisms: Established formal channels and processes for two sovereign nations to resolve issues directly without external involvement.
• Border Demarcation: The process of physically marking and defining the boundary line between two countries on the ground.
• No-Man's Land: An unoccupied or disputed area, often between two opposing forces or countries, where sovereignty may be unclear or contested.