The ruling alliance has promised to play an effective role to bring back territories encroached by India. According to the ruling coalition’s common minimum programme document unveiled on Monday, the government will try to bring back the territories of Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulek that are currently occupied by India.

The government will strengthen territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence, according to the common minimum programme of the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government. But the document is silent on boundary issues with China.

A fresh Nepal-India border dispute erupted after India in 2019 released its new political map by including the disputed territories within Indian borders. The government led by KP Sharma Oli sent two diplomatic notes to India, requesting talks and correction of the map. But New Delhi declined to sit for talks citing the Covid pandemic.

After India’s repeated refusal to discuss the map, in May 2020, the then Oli government issued a new map of Nepal by incorporating Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulek in Nepali boundaries.

Sources at the Prime Minister’s Office told the Post that the issue of boundary dispute and its amicable solution will be the top priority during the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to India. Although the date of the visit is yet to be decided, sources said it will happen either in February or later.

Dahal is yet to appoint a new foreign minister, which will be vital for the resolution of differences and disputes with neighbouring countries.

“In order to hold talks with India on such a sensitive issue, we should first be clear about what level we plan to take it up,” said Nilamber Acharya, former Nepali ambassador to India. “Our ambassador in New Delhi hardly gets to meet Indian ministers and foreign secretaries, so the prime minister and ministers should themselves take up the issue.”

Acharya was the ambassador to India when Nepal issued the new map by incorporating the contested territories. He is in favour of using multiple forums in order to settle disputes with India.

Relations between Nepal and India dipped to a historic low after the map dispute. There were some rounds of meetings between Nepal and India at the foreign minister and foreign secretary levels, but India refused to take up the matter in bilateral forums. During his India visit in April last year, then prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba also raised the issue with his Indian counterpart, but there has been no progress.

“Not only the government but the Indian people should also know about the boundary dispute with Nepal. We have to explore different ways of diplomacy to achieve our goal. It can be public or quiet diplomacy. But the question is: At what level and when and how will we initiate these talks?” added Acharya.

Similarly, the ruling parties in the common minimum programme document have said that Nepal will maintain balanced diplomatic relations with both neighbours, India and China.

“The policy of amity with all and enmity with none will be adhered to. We will maintain tension-free relations at regional level and will activate regional organisations like Saarc, Bimstec, and BBIN,” the document says.

Former Nepali ambassador Khaganath Adhikari said there is no alternative to talks with India to bring back the occupied land, but it would require deft diplomacy.

“Yes, there is no alternative to talks, but how to conduct them effectively is the question,” said Adhikari.

“We cannot fight India, neither can we reclaim our land by sending the army, so there is no alternative to diplomacy to bring back our land,” said Adhikari.