भारत-चीन लिपुलेख दर्रे से फिर व्यापार करेंगे: नेपाल ने सीमा विवाद को लेकर विरोध जताया, भारत बोला- यहां से 1954 से ट्रेड हो रहा

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar during his visit to India.

India and China have signed an agreement to re -start the trade via Lipulekh Pass near Limpiadhura. Limpiadhura is present in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, but Nepal considers it its area.

The decision was taken during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to India on 18-19 August. He came at the invitation of India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.

According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, in the conversation of Wang Yi and Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar, it was agreed to resume trade with Lipulekh, Shipki La and Nathu La Pass.

Nepal asked India-China not to do activity here

Nepal has expressed displeasure over the agreement. The Nepal government says that Limpiadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani are part of its territory. He has appealed to India and China not to do any activity in the region.

India replied that trade has been taking place since 1954, which had stopped in recent years due to Corona and other reasons. Now both countries have decided to resume it.

India says that Nepal’s regional claims are not based on historical facts and unilateral claims are not valid. India has expressed a desire to resolve the border dispute with Nepal with dialogue and diplomacy.

Nepal also protested 10 years ago

India and China discussed trade for the first time in 10 years. In 2015, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China, he and the then Chinese Prime Minister Lee Kekiang signed an agreement with Lipulekh to increase trade.

Nepal also opposed it at that time, as this decision was taken without consultation from Nepal. Nepal then sent diplomatic notes to India and China.

PM Modi holding a press conference in 2015 with the then Prime Minister of China Lee Kekiang.

Nepali PM will visit India next month

India and China are trying to improve relations after the 2020 Galwan clashes. Nepal considers Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiadhura as its area, but India controls them. In 2019, India showed these areas in its new map in its share, which Nepal opposed.

Nepal released its new map in 2020, in which these areas were shown in Nepal. In 2023, China showed them part of India in their map, which further increased the dispute.

The agreement was reached before Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to China and India. They will take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in China from 31 August to 1 September and then visit India from 16 September.