Nepal objects to Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Lipulekh; India rejects claims as unjustified

Key facts

• On May 3, 2026, Nepal's Foreign Ministry objected to India and China planning the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Lipulekh pass, asserting that the area is Nepali territory.
• India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the territorial claims are neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence, and that the Lipulekh pass has been a route for the Yatra since 1954.
• Nepal claimed that Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani east of the Mahakali River are integral parts of Nepal since the Sugauli Treaty of 1816.
• Lipulekh pass became a point of discord in 2020 when the then Nepalese government under K P Sharma Oli objected to India building infrastructure and a road there, leading Nepal to publish its own map claiming Lipulekh.
• India announced the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra on April 30, 2026, to take place from June to August 2026; trade via Lipulekh had resumed in August 2025 before the GenZ protests toppled the government in September 2025.