KATHMANDU, June 11: Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal on Wednesday briefed Parliament on his recent official visit to India, describing it as a step toward strengthening bilateral ties, while also offering clarifications on Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s recent remarks on Nepal–India border-related issues.
Addressing the House of Representatives (HoR), FM Khanal said the government remains committed to safeguarding Nepal’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interests while pursuing “balanced, independent, and multi-dimensional foreign policy.” He said his three-day visit to India—at the invitation of Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar—was the first high-level political engagement from the newly formed government after the elections.
Khanal held delegation-level talks with Jaishankar in New Delhi on June 6, where both sides discussed a wide range of issues including trade, energy cooperation, water resources, connectivity, border management, and regional security.
He said the visit resulted in three joint statements covering cross-border digital payment systems, post-earthquake reconstruction projects in Nepal supported by India, and cooperation on digital public infrastructure and language translation technology.
India should be ready to resolve border issue
Khanal also met India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, focusing on security cooperation, border management, and strategic partnership. He further addressed a policy dialogue organised by the India Foundation and interacted with Nepali diplomatic staff and Indian media in New Delhi.
Foreign Minister Khanal informed Parliament that several dormant bilateral mechanisms between Nepal and India have been reactivated, including border management and technical survey groups.
He highlighted upcoming meetings of the Joint Working Group on Border Management, the Survey Officials’ Committee, and ongoing fieldwork by joint technical teams repairing and mapping border pillars.
He also cited recent meetings on flood forecasting, hydropower cooperation, and the Koshi–Gandak project as examples of continued technical engagement.
A major part of Khanal’s statement focused on clarifying PM Balendra Shah’s remarks made in Parliament on May 31 regarding Nepal–India border issues and riverine encroachment.
He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already issued clarification on the same day and reiterated that Nepal’s official position on the Lipulekh–Limpiyadhura–Kalapani dispute remains unchanged and is pursued through diplomatic channels.
Khanal stressed that Nepal and India share an open border governed historically by the 1816 Sugauli Treaty, while acknowledging unresolved mapping and boundary demarcation in several areas.
He added that both countries continue technical surveys and data collection on border pillars, encroachment, and land use discrepancies, and that such issues should be resolved through dialogue and established bilateral mechanisms.
Responding to concerns over references made during the PM’s remarks, Khanal clarified that no third-party mediation has been sought or accepted. He said references to historical documents, including the then British role during the Sugauli Treaty period, were made only for contextual understanding, and reiterated that border issues remain strictly bilateral.
Khanal further clarified that Nepal’s foreign policy remains guided by national interest and diplomatic engagement, adding that ongoing high-level visits and revived mechanisms reflect efforts to deepen cooperation with friendly countries, particularly India.
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