MEA rejects 'third party' role on Indo-Nepal border issue after Balen Shah's China, UK remark sparks controversy

The Ministry of External Affairs has denied the role of “third parties” in the Indo-Nepal border issue after Nepali Prime Minister Balen Shah claimed to have held talks with China and the United Kingdom over the border dispute.

Responding to Nepali Prime Minister Balen Shah’s barb on the matter a few days ago, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “It should be clear to all concerned that there is no role of any third party in the India-Nepal bilateral matter.

Read also | Balen Shah, 35, was sworn in as Nepal’s youngest prime minister after the Gen Z uprising

Jaiswal said the ministry has seen the Nepali prime minister’s remarks on the Indo-Nepal border as well as the subsequent statement by the Nepalese foreign office on the matter.

He said, “While nearly 98 percent of the India-Nepal border has been demarcated, there are some unresolved segments.” Jaiswal claimed that the shift of the Gandak river led to this situation.

“In addition, there are cases of cross-border occupation and encroachment into no-man’s land in demarcated sections of the border, which are currently being jointly mapped. We have created bilateral mechanisms to deal with all aspects of border issues,” said a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

What did Nepali Prime Minister Balen Shah say?

On 31 May, the Kathmandu Post quoted Prime Minister Balen Shah as saying that Nepal was also engaged in diplomatic negotiations with China and the United Kingdom over the border dispute with India.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah said in Parliament on Sunday that it is not just that India has encroached on Nepalese territories, but Nepal has also encroached on Indian territories.

Read also | Balen Shah released a rap song today ahead of his swearing in as the Prime Minister of Nepal | Watch

“After I became the prime minister, I came to know that not only India has encroached on Nepali soil, but Nepal has also encroached on Indian soil at many places,” PM Shah was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post.

He said this while replying to a question by Shram Sanskriti’s Aaren Rai in Parliament. “Both sides need to sit down and look into the matter,” Shah said.

He reportedly added: “We have spoken not only to India and China but also to the UK government. Our view is that the UK should also be concerned because the issue dates back to when British India left the region.”

Read also | RSP sweeps Nepal’s elections, ex-rapper Balen Shah becomes prime minister

After Shah’s statement in the House of Representatives sparked controversy, Nepal’s Ministry of External Affairs clarified that the remarks about Nepal encroaching on Indian soil were made with reference to cross-border land occupation and land use across the Nepal–India border rather than any territorial claim.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri said in a statement that the prime minister’s remarks were mainly about encroachments into no-man’s-land along the border and what he described as “cross-border occupation,” the Kathmandu Post reported.

“The issue mentioned by the Prime Minister in Parliament is essentially related to the encroachment of the Dasgaja (no man’s land) area and cross-border occupation,” the Nepalese ministry added.

Read also | Nepal votes today: From rapper Balen Shah to veteran KP Oli – key PM hopes

According to the ministry, the border between Nepal and India in riverine areas has been demarcated using the principle of fixed borders, which has led to situations where citizens of one country cultivate land or live in territory that falls under the jurisdiction of the other country.

The ministry said that studies conducted by a technical commission showed that some land currently used and occupied by Nepal could fall on the Indian side of the border, while some land currently used and occupied by India could fall on the Nepalese side.

“The Prime Minister’s statement in Parliament that Indian soil may be on the Nepalese side at some places is related to this technical reality and the issue of cross-border occupation,” the statement added.