Nepal PM Balendra Shah ‘Encroaching Indian Land’ Remark Sparks Controversy

Balendra Shah, Prime Minister of Nepal said that he has learnt about his country "encroaching" territories in India. Balendra Shah was trying to answer the questions asked in the Parliament related to the long-running border dispute between India and Nepal on May 31, 2026. His statement has sparked outrage on social media. It is considered as the first statement by the head of the Nepali Government on this issue.

In his maiden appearance in the ongoing parliament session in Nepal, Balendra Shah said that India and Nepal have agreed to take the help of surveyors, historians as well as experts to look for a resolution. Shah has said that Kathmandu has also held diplomatic discussions and meetings on this particular issue with China and the United Kingdom.

Shah was responding to a question by a lawmaker in the session held in Parliament regarding the Kalapani region, which remains disputed between Nepal and India, whereas both the countries claim sovereignty over the area. Nepal and India have an old dispute going over Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura in which both countries are claiming the boundary areas. India mentions that the territories are part of Uttarakhand whereas it is said the issue must be resolved and addressed via bilateral dialogue.

"The government of Nepal has officially sent a diplomatic notification to India, which talks about the issue of encroachment of territories by India, including Lipulekh, and said we have already received their answers," Shah said in the parliament. "Both the countries have agreed to resolve the problem sitting together with the guidance of historians and experts through diplomatic means." The Nepal Communist Party and Nepali Congress demanded that the Prime Minister should clarify where exactly Nepal has encroached upon the territory of India. 

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Balendra Shah said that Nepal encroaching Indian territories has triggered a controversy. This issue has sparked outrage on social media and the internet. Many Nepalese social media users are criticising the statement made by the Prime Minister, while experts have dismissed it. 

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The Prime Minister may have spoken without factual information on the problems related to borders between the two countries. Ramesh Malla, Nepal Communist Party lawmaker, mentioned that the Prime Minister’s remarks and statement from the parliament could damage the integrity of the nation. 

Nilambara Acharya, who was a former Nepalese ambassador, told the Kantipur online media portal that Balendra Shah, has "no information regarding territories of India being encroached by Nepal." According to Nilambara Acharya, around 97 percent of the disputes regarding border issues have already been resolved, but some are still remaining. 

Deep Kumar Upadhyay, a former ambassador of Nepal mentioned that Nepal encroaching India's territory is not there in any record or statement.

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