Nepal says India border issues can be resolved through dialogue

Kathmandu,UPDATED: Jul 7, 2026 22:48 IST

Nepal and India can resolve their border issues and other matters through diplomatic initiatives and dialogue, Nepal Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said on Tuesday. Speaking in the Upper House of Parliament, he also said a meeting of the border working committee will be held next month.

Khanal said the two neighbouring countries do have border issues, but maintained that the existing bilateral mechanisms were working to address them. He said the matters, including those related to Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Susta, could be resolved on the basis of historical facts, documents and maps.

"Nepal and India are neighbouring countries and there is no doubt that we have border issues," Khanal said. Nepal and India have had a long-running boundary dispute over Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani, with both countries claiming the areas. India maintains that these territories are part of Uttarakhand and has said the issue should be addressed through bilateral dialogue.

"In fact, we are in a state of conflict due to these claims and counter-claims," Khanal said while responding to questions raised by lawmakers. "However, despite these differences, I want to reiterate here that we believe these border issues and other matters, including those relating to Susta, can be resolved through diplomatic initiatives and dialogues on the basis of historical facts, documents and maps," he said. "The existing mechanisms of the two countries are working towards resolving the issues related to the border," he added, saying, "We want to resolve the border-related issues through these mechanisms." Earlier this month too, Khanal had said Nepal was always ready to resolve the border issue with India through diplomatic dialogue on the basis of the historical agreement and map.

Responding to lawmakers, Khanal also said the Foreign Ministry had already made public its detailed views on comments made by Prime Minister Balendra Shah during his address in Parliament in May. Shah's May 31 statement that Nepal had also encroached on Indian territories at different places and that the Himalayan nation had involved China and the UK to resolve the issue had sparked controversy. New Delhi categorically rejected any role for third parties in resolving the row, and the statement also drew criticism from Nepal's opposition parties. Nepal's Foreign Ministry later clarified that the prime minister was referring to cross-border occupation by people from both sides of the border.

Khanal's remarks in Parliament underlined Nepal's position that its border issues with India should be addressed through bilateral mechanisms and diplomatic dialogue, with the next meeting of the border working committee due next month.

With PTI Inputs

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