Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah said on Sunday (May 31, 2026) that Nepal too has encroached upon some Indian territories, in what is considered to be the first such public statement by a Nepali head of government.
Mr. Shah was responding to a question by a lawmaker in Parliament regarding the Kalapani region, which remains disputed between Nepal and India, with both countries claiming sovereignty over it.
“You might find it strange, but I also learned only recently — after becoming Prime Minister — that it’s not just India but Nepal too has encroached upon Indian territories in many places,” Mr. Shah said, prompting an uproar in Parliament as the Opposition objected to the statement.
Lawmakers from the Nepali Congress and the Nepal Communist Party demanded that the Prime Minister clarify where exactly Nepal has encroached upon Indian territory and sought the removal of his remarks from the record.
“There are border disputes between Nepal and India. But the Prime Minister said Nepal has encroached upon Indian territory,” said Nepali Congress Chief Whip Basana Thapa. “Where exactly has this happened? The Prime Minister must make the House aware of this. This is a serious and objectionable statement.”
Stating that the Prime Minister may have spoken without factual basis on the border issue between the two countries, she demanded that the statement be expunged from parliamentary records.
Nepal Communist Party lawmaker Ramesh Malla said the Prime Minister’s remarks from the parliamentary rostrum could damage national integrity.
“This is not a trivial matter,” Mr. Malla said. “I feel he may have treated the subject matter as if it were something said in an informal conversation. This is a very serious issue. Can the head of government or head of state of any country stand on a platform and say that they have encroached upon the land of another country? How serious is this matter?”
Sunday’s address to Parliament was the first by Mr. Shah, a senior leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, since he took office on March 27 following elections held earlier that month, the first since the September Gen Z protests last year.
He had previously faced criticism for his reluctance to address Parliament and his absence from parliamentary sessions.
Mr. Shah did not address the first meeting of the newly elected Parliament on April 2. On May 11, when President Ram Chandra Poudel was presenting the government’s policies and programmes, Mr. Shah walked out midway. The following day, he again broke parliamentary tradition by refusing to respond to questions on the policies and programmes.
However, on Sunday (May 31), Mr. Shah suddenly raised his hand, expressing his desire to answer lawmakers’ questions.
While stating that the Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani dispute would be resolved through dialogue, he also remarked that Nepal has encroached upon Indian territory.
The region, on the northwestern rim, has been a long-standing irritant between Nepal and India, and the dispute resurfaced recently when India announced a pilgrimage to Mansarovar via the Lipulekh route.
Nepal then sent diplomatic notes to both India and China. India, however, maintains that the Lipulekh pass is a historic trade and pilgrimage route within its territory.
Nepal asserted its claim over the region in 2020 during K.P. Sharma Oli’s tenure as Prime Minister, when the government amended the constitution to include Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani in its official map. The move followed India’s publication of a new political map in November 2019, which showed the region within Indian territory.
Mr. Shah, 36, became Nepal’s Prime Minister after serving as Mayor of Kathmandu for three and a half years. During his mayoral tenure, he was known for his “nationalist” stance. At one point, he even displayed a “Greater Nepal” map in his office, reportedly in response to the “Akhand Bharat” map displayed in the Indian Parliament.
Within two months in office, Mr. Shah has pursued a more assertive foreign policy, refusing one-on-one meetings with foreign officials and ambassadors. A scheduled visit by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on May 11 was postponed, largely due to Mr. Shah’s refusal to allocate time for the meeting.
Mr. Shah’s comments on Sunday came just a day before his party president Rabi Lamichhane’s scheduled visit to New Delhi. Mr. Lamichhane is set to meet senior officials in Delhi during his five-day visit.
Border experts, however, say Mr. Shah’s statement that Nepal has encroached upon Indian territory is not supported by facts.
During Sunday’s House meeting, Mr. Shah said that the Nepal government has received a response to its diplomatic note from India.
“We have had communication not just with India and China but also England,” he said, referring to the United Kingdom. “Our position is that since the dispute dates back to when the British left India, England should also have concerns about the matter. All these issues should be resolved through dialogue and diplomatic table talks.”
Published – May 31, 2026 06:16 pm IST
