Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah has stirred controversy after telling Parliament that Nepal has also encroached upon some Indian areas, alongside his claim that India has occupied parts of Nepal.
Speaking on the long-running Nepal–India border dispute, Shah said he learned about the alleged mutual encroachment only after becoming prime minister. He referred to Nepal’s claims over areas such as Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura, and said Nepal has sent a letter to the Indian government on the issue.
Shah argued that the dispute should be resolved through dialogue. He said Nepal has held discussions not only with India and China but also with the British government, citing the historical roots of the boundary issue dating back to the period after British India’s withdrawal.
He proposed that both governments form expert groups—including historians, surveyors and specialists familiar with the region—to examine records and arrive at a negotiated settlement.
Opposition parties criticised Shah’s statement that Nepal had encroached on Indian land. Nepal’s Foreign Ministry later said the prime minister was not referring to territorial encroachment, but to the practice of farmers from both sides alternately using agricultural fields in border areas.
