Nepal eyes bilateral resolution with India

Nepalese Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal affirmed that Nepal seeks resolution of its border dispute with India through existing bilateral mechanisms, emphasizing diplomacy, mutual respect, and historical ties, while ruling out third-party mediation amid recent tensions over Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani

New Delhi: Nepal wants to resolve its border dispute with India through existing bilateral mechanisms as “no problem is too large and complex” when both sides meet with an open heart, rational mind and mutual respect, Nepalese Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said on Sunday, effectively endorsing New Delhi’s rejection of any third-party involvement.

Khanal said Kathmandu refuses to see New Delhi through the “distorted, hyper-sensitive lens” of 21st-century geopolitics and instead aims to look at India with “clear eyes and a single transparent agenda of economic transformation of Nepal”.

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The Nepalese foreign minister was speaking to the media a day after holding wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar that focused on ways to further expand ties in diverse sectors, including trade, critical technology, connectivity and energy.

His three-day trip to New Delhi from Friday came against the backdrop of a raging controversy triggered by Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s recent remarks on the boundary row between the two sides. Shah had also suggested involvement of China and the UK to resolve the issue.

The Nepalese foreign minister, acknowledging India’s transformation into a rapidly growing global economic and technological powerhouse, expressed Nepal’s desire to engage with this “dynamic neighbour” by contributing its own aspiring energy to the partnership.

“Our primary responsibility is to close the gap between bold promises made on paper and the physical reality delivered on the ground, transitioning away from abstract political statements to deliver measurable, life-changing results,” he said.

Khanal added: “Let us build a partnership that is not constrained by the anxieties of the past, but one that is fuelled by the high hopes and promising prospects of our shared future.”

The Nepalese foreign minister, referring to the border issue, said “true interdependence” means shared borders act as “highly efficient bridges, not frustrating barriers”.

Nepal and India have had an old boundary dispute over Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani. India has consistently maintained that the territories are part of Uttarakhand.

Late last month, Nepalese Prime Minister Shah sought the involvement of China and the United Kingdom to address the long-standing border dispute between India and Nepal. Days later, New Delhi categorically rejected any role for third parties to resolve the row.

The Nepalese foreign minister said the involvement of the UK was meant in the context of availing documents and historical details from British libraries and museums.

“We want to solve our disputes through diplomatic processes. We just want to see if we can access some of the documents that might be in libraries or museums in the UK. Our position was not that we were asking for mediation,” he said.

“Rather than engaging in hyper-nationalistic grandstanding, we are pursuing calm, data-driven and evidence-based discussions to resolve challenges in good faith,” the Nepalese foreign minister said.

Khanal said the year 2026 has provided the “most conducive, highly aligned window” for the two countries in decades to completely “elevate and transform” their relations.

“No problem is too large, and no boundary too complex, when we sit down with an open heart, a rational mind and mutual respect,” he said.

Asked about Nepal’s objection to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Lipulekh region, Khanal said Kathmandu’s concerns stemmed from the understanding between India and China to use the route for the pilgrimage without consulting Nepal, claiming that the area belongs to his country.

“Our concerns are with the renewal of the agreement between India and China over the Kalapani and Lipulekh area, where we have said for a very long time that the land belongs to us, and without Nepal’s consent, the two countries by themselves cannot make those agreements,” he said.

“And we’ve made that very clearly known through our communication, including diplomatic notes to both countries,” he said.

At the same time, the Nepalese foreign minister asserted that Nepal seeks resolution of the issue with India through existing bilateral mechanisms.

Khanal said the new government in Nepal has a strong desire to deepen ties with India.

“When we look across the border, we see a rising India — an India that has fundamentally and beautifully redefined itself on the global stage as a dynamic, fast-growing tech and economic powerhouse,” he said.

“We want to engage with this India of intense aspiration, cutting-edge technology, and relentless execution. In turn, we bring the energy of an aspiring Nepal,” he said.

Khanal also elaborated on historical India-Nepal ties, saying the people of the two nations are the children of the same rivers, the same mountains and the same ancient wisdom.

“Every time on the journey from Kathmandu to New Delhi, looking down at the majestic Himalayas yielding to the vast, fertile plains of the Gangetic basin, I am reminded of a profound truth,” he said.

“We are not merely neighbours joined by political lines drawn on a map; we are the children of the same rivers, the same mountains and the same ancient wisdom,” he said.

The Nepalese foreign minister refused to give a direct reply when asked about the youth-led “Gen Z” protests in Nepal in September 2025 and the Cockroach Janta Party’s protest in New Delhi on Saturday.

“There was a movement back in September and the political transition that took place brought us to power. I would not want to comment on what’s happening in India,” he said.

To another question on US tariffs on Nepalese goods, he said: “We are in constant dialogue with the Americans.”