India rejects third-party role in Nepal border dispute after PM Balen Shah’s remarks

MEA says there is no role for third parties in the India-Nepal boundary dispute after Nepal PM Balen Shah's comments spark controversy

PGurus Newsdesk

June 3, 2026

The issue resurfaced recently after Nepal objected to India’s decision to conduct the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Lipulekh Pass

MEA says nearly 98% of the India-Nepal border has been demarcated

India on Tuesday firmly rejected any role for third parties in resolving its long-standing boundary dispute with Nepal, days after Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah suggested that China and the United Kingdom could be involved in discussions over the issue.

Responding to Shah’s comments, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India and Nepal already have established bilateral mechanisms to address all border-related matters and stressed that the issue must remain strictly between the two neighbours.

“Close to 98 per cent of the India-Nepal boundary has already been demarcated. There is no role for any third party in a bilateral matter between India and Nepal,” Jaiswal said during a weekly media briefing.

Nepal PM’s remarks spark controversy

The diplomatic response comes after Shah, during an address in Nepal’s Parliament, suggested that Britain should be involved in discussions over the border issue because the dispute traces its origins to the colonial-era boundaries established under British India.

Shah also said Nepal had been engaging with China alongside India regarding the matter and made the controversial assertion that Nepal had, in some instances, “encroached” on Indian territory as well.

The remarks immediately triggered a political storm in Nepal, with opposition lawmakers demanding evidence for the claim or a formal withdrawal of the statement. Critics argued that such comments weaken Nepal’s long-standing position on disputed border areas.

India reiterates bilateral approach

Jaiswal said India had taken note of both Shah’s remarks and the subsequent clarification issued by Nepal’s Foreign Ministry.

He explained that while most of the border has been settled, some segments remain unresolved due to factors such as shifts in the course of the Gandak River and issues involving cross-border occupation and encroachment in certain demarcated areas.

“Boundary-related issues are being addressed through existing bilateral mechanisms,” he said, reiterating that no external country has any role in the process.

Nepal government issues clarification

Following the backlash, Nepal’s Foreign Ministry sought to clarify the prime minister’s comments, stating that Shah was referring to instances of cross-border occupation and encroachment in no-man’s land areas rather than making any territorial claim against India.

The ministry maintained that Nepal’s official position on the disputed regions of Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani remains unchanged and that outstanding issues should be resolved through diplomatic dialogue and mutual understanding.

Long-running border dispute

India and Nepal have disagreed for years over the Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani regions located near the India-China border. India maintains that the territories form part of Uttarakhand, while Nepal claims the areas based on its interpretation of historical maps and treaties.

The issue resurfaced recently after Nepal objected to India’s decision to conduct the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Lipulekh Pass. India dismissed Kathmandu’s claims, describing them as a “unilateral artificial enlargement” of territorial assertions.

The latest exchange highlights how sensitive the border issue remains, even as both countries continue to maintain close political, economic and cultural ties.