Summary:
India and China have reached an agreement to use Lipulekh as a center for pilgrimage without consulting Nepal. This decision aims to resume the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage routes, which were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The agreement was made during a meeting in Beijing between India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as reported by India's Ministry of External Affairs.
Nepal has previously expressed formal disagreements regarding the use of Lipulekh by India and China. Experts in foreign affairs suggest that this agreement adds salt to old wounds, as both countries have ignored Nepal's stance on the matter. According to former diplomats and leaders, the use of Lipulekh should not involve third-party agreements without Nepal's consent, affirming that the territory up to Limpiyadhura is Nepalese.
Critics argue that such unilateral decisions by neighboring countries undermine Nepal's sovereignty and highlight the need for Nepal to assert its rights over its territory, especially given historical treaties and agreements that support its claims.
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