India and China accused of bulldozing Nepal’s sovereignty with Lipulek deal

India and China’s latest “breakthrough” on border cooperation has sparked outrage in Nepal, which says its sovereignty has been trampled yet again. The two Asian giants have agreed to reopen the strategic Lipulek Pass for trade, a move announced after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Delhi on August 18–19.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry painted the visit as a diplomatic success, with spokesperson Mao Ning boasting that India and China had reached a “shared understanding” on managing their disputed boundary and reopening old trade routes. India’s Ministry of External Affairs even referred to Lipulek as part of its Himachal region — a claim that directly clashes with Nepal’s official map.

But Kathmandu was quick to lash out. Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the decision was taken “behind Nepal’s back” and violates its territorial integrity. “The Constitution of Nepal has already incorporated our official map, which clearly establishes Limpiyadhura, Lipulek and Kalapani as integral parts of Nepal,” the ministry said.

Nepal has repeatedly told India to stop building roads and expanding trade in the Kalapani-Lipulek region, while also informing China that the land is not up for negotiation. Yet both neighbors ignored these warnings, striking a deal as if Nepal’s borders did not exist.

Lipulek, located at 17,000 feet, is not just a pilgrim route to Kailash Mansarovar but a highly strategic corridor. In 2020, India built a road through Kalapani to Lipulek without Nepal’s consent. In response, Nepal published a new political map including the disputed territory. That confrontation remains unresolved.

Now, Nepal’s frustration is boiling over. “We remain committed to resolving boundary problems diplomatically,” the ministry said, “but based on historical treaties, agreements, facts, and evidence.”

India, however, has flatly rejected Nepal’s position. In a statement on Wednesday, New Delhi claimed that trade through Lipulek with China has been going on “since 1954” and declared that Nepal’s objections are “neither justified nor based on historical facts.”

Critics in Kathmandu see the move as a dangerous precedent: two global powers cutting a deal over land that belongs to a smaller neighbor. For many, the Lipulek agreement is not cooperation — it’s a direct encroachment and a blatant disregard of Nepal’s sovereignty.