By Admin 
Nepal’s Prime Minister Balen Shah on Sunday (21 June 2026) clarified his earlier statement regarding the possible role of the United Kingdom (UK) in resolving the India-Nepal border dispute. He said that Nepal does not want British mediation. On May 31, while answering the questions of MPs for the first time in the lower house of Parliament, Prime Minister Shah had said that Nepal has not only talked to India and China but also with the British government, because they have some historical records from the time of British rule.
Balen Shah had then said, “We believe that England (UK) should also take interest in this matter, because this issue is related to the time when the British ruled India. Therefore, all these matters should be resolved through dialogue and diplomatic negotiations.” Apart from this, Shah had also said that just as Nepal has been accusing India of encroachment for a long time, in the same way Nepal has also encroached on Indian territory. His statement was criticized by opposition parties, foreign policy experts and experts on border matters.
What did Nepal PM say in clarification?
While addressing the inaugural session of the Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP) convention that started in South Chitwan district on Sunday, Shah clarified his earlier statement. He said, “We have evidence regarding Kalapani and Lipulekh. All I meant was that if there is a need to present records of the British rule, we are ready to present them. We do not want Britain’s interference.”
We have evidence, we will solve it ourselves- Balen Shah
He said that Nepal wants to resolve border issues with its neighboring countries through direct talks and on the basis of facts. Shah said, “We will resolve these matters ourselves by discussing with our neighbours. We have evidence. No one should have any doubt about my nationalism.” The border dispute has been a major contentious issue in India-Nepal relations for many decades.
India controls Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani
Both countries lay claim to Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani areas. At present this area is under the administrative control of India, but Nepal has been calling these areas as its sovereign land for a long time. Both countries say that pending border disputes should be resolved through diplomatic dialogue and mutual understanding. Responding to Shah’s earlier statement, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said that there is no role for any third party in resolving the border disputes between India and Nepal. The ministry stressed that the bilateral mechanisms already existing between the two countries are the right means to resolve such issues.
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What did India say on the matter?
In early June, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said that both the countries are working towards resolving border issues within the prescribed framework. Jaiswal said, “We have established bilateral mechanisms to resolve border issues. There is no role for any third party in whatever bilateral matters are between India and Nepal.” Due to these comments of Shah, RSP President Rabi Lamichhane’s visit to India in early June was also left behind from the discussion to some extent. Lamichhane came to India on the invitation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
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With inputs from INS