Brabim Karki

A long-standing border dispute between Nepal and India has flared up again after New Delhi and Beijing announced plans to reopen a Himalayan pass leading to a Hindu pilgrimage site in Tibet. Nepal has formally objected to the proposed pilgrimage route via Lipulekh, a high-altitude pass on the border of all three countries, and has protested to India and China, claiming the route passes through its territory. India has rejected Nepal's assertion, dismissing Kathmandu's claims over the region as a "unilateral artificial enlargement." China so far has maintained silence.

Nepal's recent protests over reopening of the Lipulekh Pass signal how the small Himalayan nation risks being sidelined as India and China quietly align, forcing Kathmandu to choose pragmatic economic ties over rigid sovereignty claims.

Nepal claims that Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani -- areas lying east of the Mahakali River -- have been its integral territory since the 1816 Sugauli Treaty, which established the boundaries of the country. The Himalayan nation has also urged India not to carry out any activities such as construction of roads, border trade or pilgrimage in the disputed area.

India has pushed back against Nepal's claims. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said the Lipulekh Pass has been a route for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage since 1954, and that this is not a new development.

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This is not the first time the Lipulekh issue has figured in bilateral agreements between India and China. In 2015, both nations agreed to expand trade via Lipulekh, which triggered strong protests from Nepal. The Nepal government formally objected at the time, sending diplomatic notes to both nations.

In 2020, Nepal unveiled a new political map claiming the disputed areas of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh as part of its sovereign territory. However, India said at the time that it would not accept such a unilateral act and "artificial" enlargement of territorial claims. The same year, Nepal also objected to the inauguration of an 80-kilometer road that runs through the Lipulekh Pass to shorten the time taken for the pilgrimage to Kailash-Mansarovar. New Delhi maintained that the road lay completely within Indian territory. In 2025, tensions once again reignited after both neighbors agreed during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to New Delhi to reopen trade through Lipulekh.

Nepal is sandwiched between India and China, and it has been maintaining a balancing act between the two neighboring giants. This act worked better when the two major nations were at odds. Now, as ties between New Delhi and Beijing show signs of pragmatic thaw, the middle path shrinks. The Lipulekh issue shows how bilateralism among regional powers often sidelines small nations like Nepal.

The government in Kathmandu has used nationalist rhetoric over the border issue to gain domestic support. Recent protests reflect genuine public sentiment, but they also risk locking Nepal into a corner. Nepal is heavily dependent on India for petroleum supplies, medicines, fertilizers, ports and electricity cooperation. China is also growing its influence in Nepal and has already pumped millions of yuan into infrastructure and hydropower projects in the Himalayan nation. Protesting every India-China move without offering credible alternatives leaves Kathmandu looking reactive rather than strategic.

Nepal's government must pursue the issue through calibrated diplomacy. Public sentiment around sovereignty is understandable, but durable outcomes are achieved through constructive dialogue, institutional engagement and political restraint. New Delhi has repeatedly said it is open to dialogue on outstanding issues based on facts, history and mutual respect. That offer should remain on the table. Both sides would also benefit from creating stronger mechanisms for border management. Modern surveying methods, alongside historical records and treaty obligations, could also contribute to a clearer understanding of the tri-junction area.

Rather than just issuing protests, smart diplomacy would mean engaging directly with both neighbors on shared economic stakes. Nepal should prioritize internal strength. It needs better infrastructure, diversified trade routes and genuine economic reforms to reduce overdependence on any single partner. Investing in its own connectivity -- roads, energy, digital links gives it more leverage. Turning the country into a viable transit hub between India and China shifts the conversation.

Nepal also has legitimate concerns about consultation and feels its claims are ignored in the India-China proposed partnership near the tri-junction. No country is comfortable with major activities in disputed land without prior engagement. Yet, rigid claims that block connectivity and structured engagement may ultimately weaken the small nation.

The Lipulekh protests are a symptom of a broader Himalayan dilemma. Small countries risk being sidelined unless they choose pragmatic engagement. Kathmandu's real test is how cleverly it can insert itself into the connectivity story unfolding around it.

The article appeared in the asia.nikkei