India wants to amicably settle border disputes with Nepal in the spirit of close and friendly bilateral relations between the two countries

Days after creating raucous over the border issue, Prime Minister K P Sharma-headed government in Nepal is likely to table a constitution amendment bill on Saturday by incorporating Limpyiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani in the Himalayan country’s map.

But India has already made it clear that “this unilateral act is not based on historical facts and evidence. It is contrary to bilateral understanding to resolve the outstanding boundary issues through diplomatic dialogue.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava also sounded to Nepal in no uncertain terms that any “artificial enlargement of territorial claims will not be accepted by India.”

Nepal raised a banner of revolt after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on May 8 inaugurated 80 km road from Dharchula in Uttarakhand to Lipulekh on the border with China with aim to make pilgrimage to Mansarovar easier.

India claims the stretch from Dharchula to Lipulekh belongs to it and that “the road follows the pre-existing route used by the pilgrim of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.”

But Nepal claims Limpyiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani belong to it.

India’s stand is that if Nepal has any boundary issue with India, it can be resolved through diplomatic dialogue and in the spirit of our close and friendly bilateral relations.