It is the second big Indo-Nepal border controversy since 1997, when Nepal first objected to Kalapani area being under Indian governance. Kalapani is a strategically important tri-junction between India, China and Nepal in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarahand.

In 1997, Nepal raised objections after India and China agreed to open the Lipulekh pass to facilitate a travel route to Mansarovar. Nepal says Kalapani is part of its Darchula district in Sudur Paschim Pradesh. Kalapani is largely a valley formed by a mess of Himalayan rivers, contributing to what is known as Kali, Mahakali or Sharda river at various points in Nepal and India.

Lipulekh sits atop the Kalapani Valley and forms a tri-junction between India, Nepal and China. It is an ancient trade and pilgrimage route made famous locally by the Bhutiya people who have inhabited the region for centuries.

India closed this route in the aftermath of the Chinese aggression in 1962. But earlier this month, India reopened the Lipulekh pass for Kailash Mansarovar following construction of a new 22 km road. It opens from a village called Gunji. Nepal claims the village and the road to be its territory.

There is a little history to this territorial dispute.

In the 1700’s Nepal had an ambitious king named Prithvi Narayan Shah, credited for solidification and unification of Nepal. He expanded his territories to the west in Uttarakhand. On the Indian side, Britain was the master. The two armies clashed in a war that ended with the Treaty of Sugauli in 1816. Among other things, it demarcated Kumaon in Uttarkhand from Nepal with River Kali serving as the boundary line between India and Nepal.Here lies the dispute.

Like many rivers of Himalayan origin, River Kali has been shifting its course, not as prominently as River Koshi but still significantly.
Secondly, to demarcate River Kali as the boundary, there should be an agreement on the origin of the river. India, and earlier Britain, considers its origin in the source of northeastern — Kalapani – streams, while Nepal says the river originates in the southwestern — Kuthi Yankti — streams.

A much-cited Almora Gazetteer of 1911 favours the northeastern origin. This is in sync with the British decision taken upon a representation made by Nepal in 1817. The Nepalese king sent a missive that areas in the southwest of Lipulekh belonged to him for being the source of the river.

The British surveyors didn’t agree on the basis of geography and local nomenclature of River Kali, which got its name much before the meeting point of the two sets of streams.

Then there is a third aspect. River Kali bisects an area called Byans. People of the area are still called Byansis. Byans was a paragana under the Mughals. (Paragana was like a district unit.)

In the southeastern part of the Byans is situated the Gunji village which is now the gateway for Mansarovar.

After the Teaty of Sugauli, the British transferred Byans areas east of River Kali to Nepal, which sent further representations staking claim on Kuthi Yankti areas. The British in 1860’s shifted their military base to Kalapani, closer to the source of the River Kali. This arrangemen continued till 1947, when the original Brexit happened on Indian subcontinent.
India and Nepal signed a friendship treaty in 1950 to formalize ancient ties in post-colonial era. Nepal was more aligned towards India for decades after the 1947 Brexit. And, the Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1950-51 left it to India to secure the combined India-Nepal border in the region.
In 1954, India and China signed a trade treaty, agreeing Lipulekh pass as the Indian gateway.
In 1961, Nepal and China signed a treaty recognizing Tinkar pass as the Nepalese point of entry. Nepal-China border Pillar Number-1 still stands there.
In 1962, India shut the Lipulekh pass fearing more Chinese incursions. Nepal is not not known to have objected to its closure.
Equation started changing during the 1990’s as China started growing in stature. India and China moved to deepen trade engagement which pushed towards opening up of the Lipulekh pass. China also tried to have some foothold in Nepal.

This was the time when China developed more interest and geo-strategic investment in Nepal. It was also the time when China-leaning Maoist leaders grew in stature in Nepal. Kalapani became a sticking point between India and Nepal thereafter.

India and Nepal signed the Mahakali agreement in 1996 for sharing of the river water. The two countries also signed another agreement in 1998 when they resorted to settling all boundary disputes, including the Kalapani dispute, through bilateral talks.
In 2015, when India and China (under the influence Narendra Modi-Xi Jinping chemistry) signed another trade treaty allowing trade through Lipulekh pass, Nepal lodged protest with both India and China staking claim on the Kalapani area.

Nepal says it has historical documents and tax receipts to show that people inhabiting that area belonged to the country. India, on the other hand, rejects the claim citing Mughal history and British control over the area. After the British left India, it maintained a police post in Kalapani since mid-1950’s. From 1979-80, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has been manning the boundaries.

Kalapani being another tri-junction involving India and China, it is a strategic vantage point for the country that controls the area. China is making serious inroads in Nepal, through investment in both infrastructure and technology.

Many including Indian Army chief General MM Narawane see a not-so-invisible Chinese hand behind recent Nepal’s assertion on Kalapani and sending of its border police team to the area.

However, ignoring the history of Kalapani would be misleading.