Amid the border dispute with India, Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah said on Sunday that the government will also intervene in the UK.
Addressing the country’s parliament for the first time since taking office, the Nepali Prime Minister stated that the ongoing dispute over the Lipulekh Corridor will be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.
Speaking to reporters, the Prime Minister added that the border dispute has been raised by China and the UK as well.
“We spoke not only with India and China, but also with the UK government. Our view is that the UK should also care, because the issue goes back to the period when British India left the region,” Shah was quoted as saying by the Wall Street Journal. Kathmandu Post.
The Nepali leader also added that he learned that Nepal has also encroached on Indian territory at multiple places.
“After becoming Prime Minister, I realized that not only India had encroached on Nepal’s territory, but Nepal had also encroached on India’s territory at multiple places,” Shah said, adding that all disputes would be discussed with New Delhi through diplomatic dialogue.
What is the dispute over the Lipulekh Pass?
Lipulekh Pass has been a long-standing point of dispute between India and Nepal. The dispute began in 2020, when then-Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli reportedly sought to use the border issue with India to deflect growing domestic pressure and challenge to his leadership.
The dispute later escalated after Nepal released a political map that showed Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh as part of it. According to Kathmandu, these three regions are part of Nepal under the Sugauli Treaty of 1816.
India condemned the “unilateral action” and stated that border disputes should be resolved through diplomatic dialogue.
However, the border issue flared up again after India and China resumed the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after a break of about five years as part of efforts to normalize relations.
Lipulekh Pass is not only a major pilgrimage route for Kailash-Mansarovar but also an important strategic trade route for India and China.
In August 2025, Nepal objected to the resumption of trade through this route and staked its territorial claim on the corridor.
Where does India stand on the dispute?
India has repeatedly rejected Nepal’s claims over the corridor.
Responding to media queries on the claims on border issues made by Nepal, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randeep Jaiswal said India’s position in this regard has been consistent and clear.
“Lipulekh Pass has been a long-standing route for Kailash Manasarovar Yatra since 1954, and yatras through this route have been going on for decades. This is not a new development,” he said.
Jaiswal added that India rejected the “unilateral” territorial claims made by Nepal, noting that the claims were “neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence.”
