Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah said the Lipulekh border issue should be resolved through diplomacy
May 31, 2026: Balendra Shah has said that Nepal is seeking the involvement of the United Kingdom in discussions related to the long-standing Lipulekh border dispute with India. Addressing Parliament, Shah stated that the issue would be resolved through dialogue and diplomatic engagement. He argued that Britain should take interest in the matter because the dispute has historical roots dating back to the period of British India.
The Nepalese prime minister also made a notable observation, saying that territorial encroachments were not a one-sided issue. According to Shah, he learned after assuming office that both India and Nepal have areas where each side claims encroachment by the other. He stressed that all such disputes would be discussed with India through diplomatic channels rather than confrontation.
The Lipulekh Pass dispute has remained a sensitive issue between India and Nepal for years. Nepal claims that Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura belong to it under the 1816 Sugauli Treaty, while India has consistently rejected these claims. The dispute resurfaced after the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the strategically important Lipulekh route. India maintains that the pass has been used for the pilgrimage since 1954 and has dismissed Nepal’s territorial claims as unsupported by historical evidence.