Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba vows to defend disputed territories: Report

Kathmandu, May 28: Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Saturday vowed to defend its territories and called areas of Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani "Nepali".

"Nepal has been adopting non-aligned foreign policy. The Govt of Nepal always has kept national interest in front and worked on the issues of mutual benefits when it comes to its neighbors and other countries," said Sher Bahadur Deuba in the parliament.

"Nepal Govt is ready to defend its territories. The areas of Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh & Kalapani are Nepali & Govt has firm understanding about it. Issue of border is sensitive & we understand that this can be resolved through dialogues & talks through diplomatic channels," he said.

Ties between India and Nepal countries came under severe strain after Kathmandu published a new political map in 2020 that showed the three Indian territories - Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh - as part of Nepal.

India reacted sharply, calling it a "unilateral act" and cautioned Kathmandu that such "artificial enlargement" of territorial claims will not be acceptable to it.

In 20220, a rowstarted after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated an 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula.

Nepal protested the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through its territory. Days later, it came out with a new political map of the country that featured Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh.

Nepal shares a border of over 1850 km with five Indian states -Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar, Pradesh and Uttarakhand.