No role for third party in border dispute: India, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• India has categorically rejected any third-party involvement in its border dispute with Nepal, emphasizing the existence of bilateral mechanisms for resolution.
• The rejection came after Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah suggested involving China and the United Kingdom to address the long-standing boundary issue.
• The primary disputed territories are Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani, which India maintains are part of Uttarakhand.
• Approximately 98 percent of the India-Nepal boundary has been demarcated.
• Unresolved segments are attributed to the shifting course of the Gandak River and instances of cross-border occupation and encroachment in no-man's land.

Detailed Insights:

• The border dispute between India and Nepal has historical roots in the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli, which designated the Kali River as Nepal's western boundary but did not precisely define its source.
• Nepal asserts that the Kali River originates from Limpiyadhura, placing the disputed areas within its territory, while India claims the river originates further downstream near Kalapani.
• The disputed region holds significant strategic importance, particularly Kalapani, due to its location near the India-Nepal-China tri-junction.
• Lipulekh Pass is crucial as a trade route and a pilgrimage route for Indians traveling to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet.
• India consistently advocates for resolving all boundary matters through established bilateral mechanisms, including joint mapping and diplomatic discussions.
• Besides the western sector, another area of contention is Susta, located near the Gandak River, where the river's changing course has led to boundary ambiguities.
• The dispute gained renewed attention in 2020 when India inaugurated a road to Lipulekh, followed by Nepal's release of a new political map incorporating the disputed territories.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Bilateral Mechanisms: Established diplomatic channels and frameworks used by two countries to address and resolve issues directly without external intervention.
• Border Demarcation: The process of surveying and physically marking the boundary line between two sovereign states.
• No-Man's Land: An area of land that is officially unclaimed, unoccupied, or under dispute between two parties, often along a border.
• Treaty of Sugauli (1816): A peace treaty signed between the British East India Company and the Kingdom of Nepal, which defined a significant portion of Nepal's western border.