India clearly dismissed Nepal’s objection to New Delhi and Beijing’s decision to resume border trade through Lipulekh Pass on Wednesday and said that their claim on the region is not appropriate.
India and China on Tuesday agreed to resume border trade through Lipulekh pass and two other business points.
The Nepali Foreign Ministry on Wednesday objected to the move to resume border trade through Lipulekh Pass, saying that the region is an inseparable part of Nepal.
In 2020, Nepal issued a political map to give rise to border dispute in which Kalapani, Limpiadhura and Lipulekh were shown part of the country. India strongly refuted these claims.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal dismissed the regional claims of Nepal. “We have noticed the comments of the Nepal’s Foreign Ministry to resume border trade between India and China through Lipulekh Pass,” he said.
“Our situation in this regard has been consistent and clear. The border trade between India and China started in 1954 and has been going on for decades through the Lipulekh Pass,” he said.
Jaiswal said that in recent years the trade was interrupted due to Kovid-19 epidemic and other developments and both sides have now agreed to resume it.
He said, “Our attitude regarding regional claims is that such claims are neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence. Any unilateral artificial expansion of regional claims is unacceptable. India is ready for creative talks with Nepal to resolve the pending border issues through dialogue and diplomacy.”
