India rejects third-party role in Nepal border dispute:MEA reaffirms bilateral approach; Nepal has asked Britain to intervene

India has reiterated that there is no role for any third party in resolving boundary issues with Nepal, stressing that the matter remains strictly bilateral and is being addressed through established mechanisms between the two countries. The statement came after recent remarks by Nepali Prime Minister Balen Shah, who suggested that Britain could potentially play a role in discussions concerning the India-Nepal border because of its historical connection to the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli between British India and Nepal. India says border issues must be resolved bilaterally Responding to questions during the Ministry of External Affairs’ regular media briefing on Tuesday, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had taken note of both the Nepali Prime Minister’s comments and a subsequent clarification issued by Nepal’s Foreign Ministry. “We have seen the remarks of the Prime Minister of Nepal concerning India India-Nepal boundary as well as the subsequent statement made by the Nepali foreign office on this matter,” Jaiswal said. He emphasised that nearly the entire boundary between the two countries has already been settled. “While close to 98% of the India-Nepali boundary has been demarcated, there are some unresolved segments. The shifting of the Gandak River has resulted in this. In addition, there are cases of cross-border occupation and encroachment of no man’s land in demarcated segments of the boundary, which are currently being mapped jointly,” he said. Gandak river shift and encroachment among issues Jaiswal explained that changes in the course of the Gandak River have contributed to disputes in certain stretches of the border. He added that issues involving cross-border occupation and encroachment in designated no-man’s land areas have also been identified and are currently being jointly mapped and verified by both countries. Reaffirming India’s position, he said: “We have established bilateral mechanisms to deal with all aspects of boundary matters. It should be clear to all concerned that there is no role for any third parties in a bilateral matter between India and Nepal.” The spokesperson was responding to reports that the Nepalese Prime Minister had suggested both the United Kingdom and China should be involved in discussions on border issues. At the same time, Shah had stated in Nepal’s Parliament that Nepal remained committed to resolving outstanding boundary disputes with India through dialogue. Shah’s remarks trigger debate in Nepal The comments have generated political controversy in Nepal, where several political parties criticised Shah’s remarks, particularly his suggestion that Nepal may also be “encroaching” on Indian territory. In response to the debate, Nepal’s Foreign Ministry issued a clarification. Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Paudel Kshetri said the Prime Minister’s remarks referred to issues concerning “boundary pillars, no-man’s land (dashgaja), and cross-border land usage”. Kshetri explained that technical studies had identified areas where land currently being used by Nepal may in fact lie on the Indian side of the border, while some land used by India could fall within Nepal’s territory. The Nepalese Foreign Ministry subsequently reaffirmed the government’s commitment to resolving all boundary issues through diplomatic dialogue based on historical treaties, maps and existing agreements. India reiterates position on Kailash Mansarovar route The latest exchange follows earlier comments by Jaiswal last month regarding Nepal’s observations on border issues in the context of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Addressing media queries at the time, he said India’s position had remained “consistent and clear”. “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. As regards territorial claims, India has consistently maintained that such claims are neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence. Such unilateral artificial enlargement of territorial claims is untenable,” Jaiswal said. Dialogue remains the preferred path forward He added: “India remains open to a constructive interaction with Nepal on all issues in the bilateral relationship, including on resolving agreed outstanding boundary issues through dialogue and diplomacy.” India and Nepal share a long and largely demarcated border, with approximately 98 per cent of the boundary already settled. The remaining disputed sections continue to be addressed through bilateral diplomatic and technical mechanisms, with both sides maintaining that dialogue remains the primary avenue for resolving outstanding issues. ​