A new political map by Nepal has riled up animosity with India. This new map claims regions of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura, which are at the trijunction of India, Nepal and Tibet, to be a part of Nepal's territory. By doing so, Nepal has rejected India’s claim over these territories.

The issue made a resurgence recently as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a crucial 80-km-long Link Road to Kailash-Mansarovar in Tibet, connecting the Lipulekh pass along the border with China.

The Nepal government found that move to be "violating Nepal's sovereignty" and retorted with this new political map.

What perhaps added more fuel to this fire was Indian Army Chief General M M Naravane commenting that all this was probably at the behest of "someone else" – hinting at China.

So why has this been a festering issue for so long, and does China really have a role to play in this friction between India and Nepal? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Guests: Manoj Kewalramani a Fellow-China Studies at The Takshashila Institution Akanksha Shah, Delhi-based Nepali Journalist

Editor: Jaskirat Singh Bawa

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

Also Listen to: Pandemic or Revenge: What’s Behind China’s LAC Intrusion?

References:

India’s Nepal Outreach Must Step Up Before China Makes Gains

Can India Fight Off China’s ‘Communist Unity’ Agenda in Nepal?

Nepal Objects to Link Road For Kailash Mansarovar, India Responds

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