Worsening India-Nepal relations, a timeline
Introduction of Nepal’s map in Nepali Parliament can further deteriorate India-Nepal relations. There’s a need of talks between the India-Nepal governments.
The government sources on Monday indicated that New Delhi is willing to hold talks with Kathmandu on the boundary dispute. But the talks can only be conducted if KP Sharma Oli government creates a conductive atmosphere and positive situation. “Sources said feelers have been sent to the Oli government to pause the process of getting parliamentary sanction for the country’s new map and come to the table for talks”. It seems that Indian government does not want to make any haste in taking actions against Nepal and wants to settle it by table talks. As we saw defence minister Rajnath Singh said that relationship between the two countries is not an ordinary one but is bound by ‘roti and beti’ (livelihood and marriage) and it can never be severed.
Background of the India-Nepal border dispute
Kalapani-Limpiadhura-Lipulekh trijunction between India-Nepal and China (Tibet) has been the matter of altercation for both the nations. It has a long history and has recently rose tensions. The region is located on the banks of the river Kali at an altitude of 3600m. The Kalapani territory lies at the eastern border of Uttarakhand and West to Nepal’s Sudurpashchim Pradesh. India claims the area is part of Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district, while Nepal believes it to be part of Dharchula district. This matter came up when India opened an 80-km road linking Uttarakhand with Lipulekh, across the disputed piece of land.
The dispute of the territoriality of Kalapani, was first raised by the Nepalese government only in 1998. Nepal did not raise an objection when Indian military units occupied the Kalapani area during the Sino-Indian war of 1962. After this, the Nepalese government contended that the western border of the country be shifted 5.5 km westward to coincide with the borders as decided in the treaty of Sugauli. Officials in India claim revenue records dating back to the 1830s. The record shows that Kalapani area has traditionally been administered as part of the Pithoragarh district.
