Nepal and India have reiterated their firm commitment to resolving ongoing boundary disputes and land alignment discrepancies through diplomatic channels and mutual bilateral discussions, according to an official clarification issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) today.
The Ministry’s statement comes as a formal response to intense media inquiries regarding the Prime Minister’s briefings to the Federal Parliament meeting convened this afternoon. The spokesperson clarified that the Prime Minister's remarks primarily addressed the technical realities of "cross-border occupation"—referring to situations where land ownership and physical usage span across national boundaries—and widespread encroachments on the no-man's land.
Addressing the highly sensitive issue of India’s operation of the Mansarovar pilgrimage route through the Lipulekh Pass, MoFA noted that the Government of Nepal had already firmly articulated its official stance on May 3, 2026. Following Nepal's formal diplomatic protest note, the Government of India responded via diplomatic channels, with both sides reaffirming their intention to settle border issues harmoniously.
The Ministry reminded that the centuries-old, open international boundary between Nepal and India is historically established and guided by the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli. While a major portion of the border is systematically logged, specific sectors—notably Susta, Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani—remain undemarcated. Furthermore, the implementation of the 'Fixed Boundary Principle' along unstable riverine borders introduces significant complications. Because these watercourses naturally shift over time, local populations frequently find themselves residing on or cultivating land that legally falls under the neighboring nation's territory.
To rectify these systemic anomalies, joint technical teams and border mechanisms from both nations are currently active on the ground. After a prolonged hiatus, the joint technical committee has resumed operations to reconstruct and repair border pillars, map out unauthorized encroachments in the no man's land zones, and conduct a comprehensive physical audit of cross-border land occupancy.
Significantly, MoFA highlighted that early findings from the technical teams suggest that upon final exact mapping, certain parcels of land currently under Nepali cultivation might technically fall on the Indian side, and conversely, lands occupied by India might officially belong to Nepal. The Ministry stressed that the Prime Minister's parliamentary statement was strictly reflecting this technical and geographical reality rather than a geopolitical concession.
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