By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clarified that Prime Minister Balendra Shah was referring to “cross-border occupation” and encroachment in no-man’s land areas along the India-Nepal border when he remarked that Nepal had also encroached on Indian territory.
The clarification came after Shah triggered a political controversy during his first appearance in Parliament to answer lawmakers’ questions, where he stated that Nepal had encroached on Indian land in several places despite Kathmandu’s longstanding complaints regarding Indian encroachment on Nepali territory.
The remarks drew criticism from opposition parties, foreign affairs experts and border analysts, who argued that the statement weakened Nepal’s established position on border disputes with India and could undermine future negotiations.
In a statement issued later on Sunday, Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said the Prime Minister’s comments were linked to technical studies conducted in border regions where citizens of one country were cultivating or occupying land that technically falls within the territory of the other.
“The matter mentioned by the Prime Minister in Parliament was primarily related to encroachment in the no-man’s land area and cross-border occupation,” the ministry stated.
According to the ministry, the “Fixed Boundary Principle” followed in river boundary areas has created situations where Nepali citizens reside or cultivate land technically located on the Indian side, while Indian citizens use land falling within Nepal’s territory.
The ministry reiterated that Nepal’s official position on disputed border regions, including Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani, remains unchanged and that unresolved border issues would continue to be addressed through diplomatic dialogue and mutual understanding with India.
It added that technical committees and bilateral border mechanisms are currently engaged in repairing boundary pillars, addressing encroachment in no-man’s land areas and documenting instances of cross-border occupation along mapped sections of the frontier.
Nepal and India share a long open border, much of which was defined under the Treaty of Sugauli in 1816. However, boundary mapping remains incomplete in areas such as Susta and the Limpiyadhura-Lipulekh-Kalapani region.
The unresolved border dispute has remained a longstanding irritant in bilateral relations.
While Nepal has consistently accused India of encroaching on Nepali territory, Shah’s remarks appeared to suggest that encroachment had occurred from both sides.
“After becoming Prime Minister, I came to know that not only has India encroached on Nepal’s land, but Nepal has also encroached on India’s land in multiple places,” Shah had said in Parliament. “Both sides should sit down and look into the matter.”
However, the Prime Minister did not specify where Nepal had allegedly encroached on Indian territory.
Opposition lawmakers immediately demanded clarification and some even urged Speaker D.P. Aryal to remove the remarks from Parliament’s official record.
Replying to a separate question regarding the India-China agreement allowing Indian pilgrims to travel to Kailash Mansarovar through the disputed Lipulekh area, Shah said Nepal had already sent a diplomatic note to India and received a response.
He added that disputes related to Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani would be resolved through diplomatic negotiations.
“The response states that both governments will form teams comprising historians, surveyors and experts familiar with the territory and seek a resolution through table talks,” Shah said.
The Prime Minister also revealed that Nepal had held diplomatic discussions with China and the United Kingdom regarding the border dispute with India.
“We have spoken not only with India and China but also with the UK government. Our view is that the UK should also take an interest, as the issue dates back to the period when the British controlled India,” Shah said.