India has rejected a formal objection from Nepal regarding the planned Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route through the Lipulekh Pass.
The dispute underscores a persistent territorial disagreement between the two neighbors over the border area near the tri-junction with China. Because the pass is a critical gateway for pilgrims, the disagreement complicates regional diplomatic relations and border security management.
India maintains that the Lipulekh Pass lies within its own sovereign territory. This position persists despite formal objections from the government of Nepal, which said the pass is part of its own territory [1].
Nepal bases its claim on the 1816 [2] Treaty of Sugauli. The treaty serves as the primary legal framework for Nepal's territorial arguments in the region [3]. India has dismissed these objections and said it intends to proceed with the pilgrimage [1].
The pilgrimage is scheduled to take place from June to August 2026 [1]. The route via Lipulekh Pass provides a direct path for pilgrims traveling to the sacred sites of Kailash and Mansarovar.
This territorial row is not a new development, as both nations have engaged in disputes over the Lipulekh area for years [1]. The current tension centers on the practical application of border controls, and the right to manage the transit of pilgrims through the contested pass [3].
“India maintains that the Lipulekh Pass lies within its own sovereign territory.”
The rejection of Nepal's objection signals India's priority on maintaining the pilgrimage route and its assertion of territorial control over the Lipulekh Pass. By relying on its own border definitions over the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli, India is reinforcing a strategic stance that may lead to further diplomatic friction with Kathmandu, particularly as the June 2026 pilgrimage window approaches.
