India, Nepal spar over new map

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 7

India and Nepal have reacted to the controversy generated due to New Delhi’s incorporation of two areas that Kathmandu claims are disputed. The friction occurred after the government released a new map that showed the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir split into two UTs. 

Both sides, however, did not seem keen to escalate the issue over the inclusion of Kalapani and Lipulekh in the Indian map, a practice New Delhi has consistently followed.

“The Nepal government firmly believes that Kalapani is part of Nepal,” said a Nepal foreign ministry statement, adding that “any unilateral actions along the Nepal-India border will be unacceptable” to it since the two foreign secretaries have already been assigned by the Nepal-India Joint Commission to find a solution on the unresolved border disputes in consultation with border experts.

“The new map has in no manner revised our boundary with Nepal. The boundary delineation exercise with Nepal is ongoing under the existing mechanism. Our map accurately depicts the sovereign territory of India,” said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar. 

“The boundary delineation exercise with Nepal is ongoing under the existing mechanism. We reiterate our commitment to find a solution through dialogue in the spirit of our close and friendly bilateral relations,” he said, asking both countries to guard against vested interests trying to create differences.

Survey Department Director-General Prakash Joshi declined to wade into the issue as he had to “communicate the matter with higher authorities first,” reported the Nepali media. 

“I will brief the higher authorities, including the foreign secretary and my senior officials at the ministry first. I cannot share the findings right now with the media,” he added. The Nepal government, however, is clear that Kalapani area is its territory and that talks are on with India to resolve the dispute.