A Thematic Exploration of the Kalapani Issue as a Test of India Nepal Strategic Partnership in the 21st Century
Heer Singh Rajput
Research scholar of Political science and Assistant Professor, Shri Sitaram Jaju Government Girls PG College Neemuch MP, Department of Political science, University of Kota (Kota- Rajasthan)
Ram Kalyan Meena
Professor, Department of Political Science, Govt. PG College Jhalawar
The Kalapani border dispute, centered on a 373-square-kilometer area in the Himalayas, epitomizes the complex interplay of historical cartography, strategic imperatives, and diplomatic fragility in India-Nepal relations. Emerging from conflicting interpretations of the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli and the Kali Riverâs origin, the territorial clash has escalated into a litmus test for bilateral trust, exacerbated by Nepalâs 2020 constitutional map claiming Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura The disputeâs strategic significanceâanchored in its tri-junction proximity to China and control over the Lipulekh Pass, a vital Indo-Tibetan trade corridorâhas intensified security anxieties for India, fueling Nepali perceptions of sovereignty erosion. Despite historical cultural affinity and economic interdependence, recurring tensions reveal how domestic nationalism, competing security paradigms, and Chinaâs growing regional influence have strained the partnership. The study argues that unresolved cartographic ambiguities and shifting geopolitical alignments threaten to escalate the Kalapani dispute into a broader regional crisis, highlighting the urgent need for institutionalized dialogue. It analyzes the historical and legal foundations of the dispute, examines its strategic significanceâparticularly in the context of Chinaâexplores the influence of domestic politics and nationalism on both sides, and assesses the impact on India-Nepal relations and regional stability, along with the effectiveness of existing diplomatic mechanisms in addressing the conflict.
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