Nepal has also encroached upon Indian territory, says PM Balendra Shah

New Delhi ( Vivek Ojha) : Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah said on Sunday (May 31, 2026) that Nepal too has encroached upon some Indian territories, in what is considered to be the first such public statement by a Nepali head of government.

Mr. Shah was responding to a question by a lawmaker in Parliament regarding the Kalapani region, which remains disputed between Nepal and India, with both countries claiming sovereignty over it. Shah was addressing Parliament for the first time since becoming the Himalayan country's youngest Prime Minister earlier this year.

While acknowledging that the border dispute involving Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani remains a sore point in bilateral ties, he struck a conciliatory note, saying both countries should seek the help of historians, surveyors and experts to resolve the issue.

Balen shah remark: You will be surprised to know a fact that I have learnt recently, only after becoming Prime Minister. India has not only encroached Nepali territory, but Nepal has also encroached Indian territory in many places," the 35-year-old leader said. "Now both countries should study the facts and sit together as friends and resolve the issue," he added. He told lawmakers that Kathmandu has also taken up the matter with China and the United Kingdom, the latter due to its colonial legacy in the region.

NEPAL FOREIGN MINISTRY CLARIFIES : However, hours later, Nepal’s Foreign Ministry clarified that Prime Minister Shah’s comments regarding Nepal “encroaching” Indian territory referred to no-man’s land and instances of cross-border occupation between the two countries. The ministry said there are possibilities that land being used by people on the Indian side may fall within Nepalese territory, and vice versa. “What the Prime Minister said about Indian land lying on the Nepali side is related to cross-border occupation,” the statement added.