Lipulekh Pass Controversy: UPSC Current Affairs

Description

Why In News?

The Lipulekh Pass dispute escalated as India rejected Nepal's protests over resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through this strategic Uttarakhand crossing.

About LIPULEKH PASS

Location: The Lipulekh Pass is a high-altitude mountain pass (approx. 5,334 meters) located in the western Himalayas.

It is a strategic tri-junction between Uttarakhand (India), the Sudurpashchim Province / Darchula district (Nepal), and the Tibet Autonomous Region (China).

Historically, it has been a vital trans-Himalayan route for barter trade between India's Kumaon region and Tibet (Taklakot/Purang).

It is the traditional and most direct overland route for the sacred Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

Origin of the Lipulekh Pass controversy

The conflict arises from colonial-era cartographic inconsistencies.

The Treaty of Sugauli (1816): Following the Anglo-Nepalese War, this treaty established the Kali River (also known as Mahakali or Sharda) as the western boundary of Nepal.
The Ambiguity: The treaty did not clearly specify the exact geographical source of the Kali River, leading to divergent territorial interpretations.
Shifting Maps: Early British maps (1816–1820s) showed the river originating from Limpiyadhura, placing the Kalapani-Lipulekh region in Nepal. However, subsequent maps from the 1850s onward shifted the river’s origin eastward towards Kalapani, Uttarakhand.

Core Dispute: India vs Nepal

Nepal’s Claim: Nepal asserts that the Kali River originates at Limpiyadhura (northwest of Lipulekh).

According to this interpretation, the entire triangular landmass east of this point—comprising Limpiyadhura, Kalapani, and Lipulekh (approx. 335 sq. km)—is integral Nepalese territory.

India’s Claim: River originates from springs near Kalapani village / Pankhagad, placing the area within Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district.

India bases its claim on continuous administrative control, 19th-century revenue records, and border security deployments dating back to the British era and continued post-independence.

China Factor

China recognizes Lipulekh (which it calls Qiangla Pass) as a traditional bilateral border pass with India.
Through agreements in 1954, 1992, 2015, and 2025, China and India have continuously designated Lipulekh as a nodal point for bilateral trade and pilgrimage, without tripartite consultation with Nepal.
Beijing views Lipulekh as a traditional pass and maintains that the territorial dispute is a bilateral matter between New Delhi and Kathmandu, declining to intervene.

Source: TIMESOFINDIA

Attempt Daily Quiz

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. The Kalapani territorial dispute is primarily a point of contention between which two countries? (a) India and China

(b) India and Nepal

(d) India and Bhutan

Answer: b

Explanation: The Kalapani territorial dispute revolves around the Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura regions, both India and Nepal claiming sovereignty based on historical treaties and maps.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The controversy is a territorial dispute between India and Nepal over the Kalapani-Lipulekh-Limpiyadhura tri-junction area. It stems from ambiguous colonial-era maps and the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli regarding the true geographical origin of the Kali River.

Lipulekh is a high-altitude pass connecting India and China for border trade and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. It also holds massive strategic importance, allowing Indian forces to monitor Chinese military movements and protect access routes into Uttarakhand.

China considers Lipulekh (which it calls Qiangla Pass) a traditional bilateral border pass with India for trade and pilgrimage. Beijing views the Kalapani territorial dispute as strictly a bilateral issue between India and Nepal and has refused to mediate or take sides.