India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday, 3 May firmly stated that Lipulekh Pass has served as a route for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra since 1954, pushing back against Nepal's claim that the pilgrimage passes through Nepali territory. The MEA called Nepal's expanding territorial assertions "untenable" and reiterated India's willingness to resolve boundary disputes through dialogue.

India's Position on Lipulekh

MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed media questions in response to a statement issued earlier the same day by Nepal's Foreign Ministry regarding the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra route. "Lipulekh Pass has been a long-standing route for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra since 1954, and the Yatra through this route has been going on for decades. This is not a new development," Jaiswal stated.

On Nepal's territorial claims over the region, Jaiswal said India has "consistently maintained that such claims are neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence." He further added, "Such unilateral artificial enlargement of territorial claims is untenable."

Nepal's Counterclaim

Earlier on Sunday, Nepal's Ministry of External Affairs released a statement asserting that Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani — areas lying east of the Mahakali River — are "integral parts of Nepal since the Sugauli Treaty of 1816." Nepal also conveyed its concerns to both India and China through diplomatic channels, objecting to the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra being organised via what it described as "Nepali territory, Lipulekh."

Nepal's statement added that its government "is always committed to resolving the border issue through diplomatic means, in line with the spirit of the close and friendly relations between Nepal and India, on the basis of historical treaties and agreements, facts, maps and evidence."

India's Diplomatic Stance

The MEA emphasised that India remains open to "constructive interaction" with Nepal on all bilateral issues, including the resolution of agreed outstanding boundary disputes through dialogue and diplomacy. Notably, this is not the first time the Lipulekh-Kalapani-Limpiyadhura triangle has stoked tensions — Nepal formally updated its official map in 2020 to include the three areas, a move India rejected as "artificial enlargement" of claims at the time as well.

Background: A Longstanding Dispute

The Lipulekh Pass, situated at an altitude of approximately 5,334 metres in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, is one of the key routes used by Indian pilgrims undertaking the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra to Tibet. India maintains the pass falls within its territory, while Nepal has long contested this. The dispute sharpened in May 2020 when India inaugurated a road linking Dharchula to Lipulekh, prompting Kathmandu to release a revised political map. Both sides have since called for diplomatic resolution, though no formal boundary talks have produced a settlement.

What Comes Next

With the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra season approaching, the renewed diplomatic exchange signals that the border question remains unresolved. Both governments have signalled preference for dialogue over confrontation, but the absence of a formal bilateral boundary mechanism means tensions are likely to resurface periodically.