India to resolve all boundary issues, including Kalap, with Nepal through dialogue: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday reiterated the Indian government's commitment to resolving Kalap issue with Nepal while responding to a question on boundary issues between the two neighbouring countries.

"I can only reiterate that our map accurately depicts the sovereign territory of India. The new map in no manner has revised our boundary with Nepal. The boundary delineation exercise with Nepal is ongoing under the existing mechsm," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told reporters in a weekly briefing.

"We reiterate our commitment to resolve standing boundary issues through dialogue in the spirit of our close and friendly bilateral relations between the two countries," he added.

Last year, Nepal had raised objections after the Home Ministry had released a political map of India which showed the Kalap territory within Indian borders.

The territory is a disputed area between India and Nepal, and it is under Indian administration as part of Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand. The valley of Kalap, with the Lipulekh Pass at the top, forms the Indian route to Kailash Manasarovar, an ancient pilgrimage site.

The territory is also the traditional trading route to Tibet for the Bhotiyas of Uttarakhand.

After India closed the Lipulekh Pass in the aftermath of the 1962 Sino-Indian War, much of the Bhotiya trade used to pass through the Tinkar Pass. The Nepalese protests regarding the Kalap territory started in 1997, after India and China agreed to reopen the Lipulekh Pass.

In November last year, the MEA had said that the new political map released after bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir accurately depicts its sovereign territory and did not revise its boundary with Nepal in any manner.

( With inputs from ANI )