Nepal's Sovereignty Concerns Reignited as India, China Resume Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Disputed Lipulekh Pass

The Kathmandu Post views the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Lipulekh Pass with significant concern, highlighting Nepal's ongoing territorial dispute with India and China over the strategic Himalayan region. While India and China coordinate the pilgrimage, the agreement bypasses Nepal's sovereignty claims, reigniting anxieties that were previously voiced in 2015 and 2020.

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Kailash Manasarovar Yatra organised by the Ministry of External Affairs in coordination with the Chinese government is set to take place from June to August 2026.

The article emphasizes Nepal's consistent diplomatic efforts to assert its claim over Lipulekh, including diplomatic notes and official map revisions. The Rastriya Swatantra Party's strong condemnation of past bilateral arrangements underscores the political sensitivity of the issue within Nepal. This renewed arrangement puts pressure on the current government to address the matter with both neighboring giants.

From a Nepali perspective, the Lipulekh Pass is not merely a route for a pilgrimage but a symbol of national sovereignty. The fact that India and China are making bilateral arrangements for a route that Nepal considers an inseparable part of its territory is seen as a disregard for Nepal's territorial integrity. The international community, particularly Western media, might focus on the religious and diplomatic aspects of the pilgrimage, but for Nepal, it is a critical issue of national pride and territorial rights.

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We are pleased to facilitate 1,000 Indian pilgrims this year. May this Yatra (travel) become a bridge of faith, friendship, and people-to-people bonds between our two great civilisations.

The Chinese Embassy's statement, welcoming the Yatra as a "bridge of faith, friendship, and people-to-people bonds," is viewed with skepticism. While framed as a gesture of goodwill, Nepal sees it as a continuation of a pattern where its concerns are sidelined in favor of the interests of its larger neighbors. The article implicitly calls for a stronger stance from the Nepali government to ensure its territorial claims are respected.

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Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani are integral parts of Nepal’s sovereign territory, based on the country’s statute, the Sugauli Treaty of 1816, and subsequent historical agreements and evidence.