The Government of Nepal formally objected to a plan by India and China to conduct the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage via the Lipulekh Pass [1].
This diplomatic row highlights a long-standing territorial dispute in the Himalayas. The conflict over the pass threatens to complicate regional security and diplomatic cooperation between the three neighboring nations as they manage shared borders.
The objection was lodged in 2024 [1], ahead of the planned pilgrimage for 2026 [1]. Kathmandu said that the Lipulekh Pass belongs to Nepal under the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli [3]. The government of Nepal also said it was not consulted on the plan to use the corridor for the Yatra [1].
The Lipulekh Pass is located on the border between India, Nepal, and China [2]. While India and China have coordinated the route for the pilgrimage, Nepal maintains that the territory is its own [2]. The dispute centers on the interpretation of historical boundary agreements and the physical demarcation of the high-altitude pass.
Kathmandu has renewed its territorial claims as part of the formal protest [1]. The government said the move by India and China to utilize the pass without Nepalese consent violates its sovereignty [3]. This action follows a pattern of periodic tension regarding the Lipulekh and Kalapani regions, where the three countries' interests overlap in the rugged terrain of the Himalayas [2].
Official representatives from Kathmandu have not indicated whether they seek a bilateral negotiation or a trilateral summit to resolve the border disagreement [1]. For now, the objection stands as a formal challenge to the logistics of the upcoming 2026 pilgrimage [1].
“Nepal formally objected to India and China’s plan to conduct the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage via the Lipulekh Pass.”
The dispute underscores the fragility of border agreements in the Himalayas, where historical treaties like the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli are often interpreted differently by modern states. By challenging the 2026 pilgrimage route, Nepal is asserting its sovereignty over a strategic corridor, potentially forcing India and China to either renegotiate the route or risk further diplomatic deterioration with Kathmandu.
