Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi 

New Delhi, Jun 3: India on Tuesday categorically ruled out any role for third countries in resolving its boundary dispute with Nepal, asserting that all outstanding issues between the two neighbours should be addressed through existing bilateral mechanisms.

The clarification came from External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal following remarks by Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah, who recently suggested that China and the United Kingdom could be involved in efforts to resolve the long-pending border dispute.

Addressing a weekly media briefing, Jaiswal said India and Nepal have well-established bilateral mechanisms to deal with all aspects of boundary-related matters and stressed that there is no scope for third-party involvement.

“It should be clear to all concerned that there is no role for any third parties in a bilateral matter between India and Nepal,” he said.

According to Jaiswal, nearly 98 per cent of the India-Nepal boundary has already been demarcated. He noted that the remaining unresolved sections are mainly linked to shifts in the course of the Gandak river, along with issues related to cross-border occupation and encroachment of no-man’s land, which are being jointly mapped by both countries.

India and Nepal have long differed over the territories of Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani, areas located near the India-China border. New Delhi maintains that these regions form part of Uttarakhand.

The Indian response followed comments made by Shah in Nepal’s Parliament on Sunday. While reiterating that Kathmandu continues discussions with New Delhi on the border issue, Shah said Nepal was also in contact with China and Britain regarding the matter. He argued that Britain should be involved since the origins of the dispute date back to the period of British India.

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

Shah also triggered political controversy in Nepal after stating in Parliament that Nepal had encroached on some Indian territory. He further suggested that experts, including historians and surveyors, could assist in finding a solution to the border dispute.

The remarks drew criticism from opposition leaders in Nepal, who demanded that Shah either provide evidence for his claims or withdraw them. Following the backlash, Nepal’s Foreign Ministry clarified that the prime minister’s comments referred to issues involving no-man’s land encroachments and cross-border occupation, rather than formal territorial claims.

The border issue recently resurfaced after Nepal objected to India’s continued use of the Lipulekh Pass route for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. India rejected Nepal’s objection and reiterated that Kathmandu’s territorial claims over the area were not supported by historical facts or evidence.

Earlier, Jaiswal had described Nepal’s claims as a “unilateral artificial enlargement” of territorial claims and maintained that such assertions were neither justified nor sustainable.