India has firmly rejected Nepal's objection to the upcoming Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via the long-established Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand. The Ministry
of External Affairs (MEA) also dismissed Kathmandu's territorial claims over the region as an "unilateral artificial enlargement" that New Delhi finds "untenable". "India's position in this regard had been consistent and clear. Lipulekh Pass has been a long-standing route for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra since 1954 and the Yatra through this route has been going on for decades," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "This is not a new development. As regards territorial claims, India has consistently maintained that such claims are neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence," he said. Jaiswal further added: "Such unilateral artificial enlargement of territorial claims is untenable." India remains open to a "constructive interaction" with Nepal on all issues in the bilateral relationship, including on resolving agreed outstanding boundary issues through "dialogue and diplomacy," he said. The response came hours after Nepal's foreign ministry issued a statement taking strong objection to India and China making preparations for the annual pilgrimage via Lipulekh Pass without consulting Kathmandu claiming the region belongs to it. Read More - Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2026 Scheduled From June To August, MEA Confirms Routes And Details The MEA had last week announced that the annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will take place from June to August via two routes -- Lipulekh Pass and Nathu La in Sikkim. Subsequently, China said it is also making preparations for the pilgrimage. The Lipulekh Pass is located at an altitude of 17,000 feet in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district. The Yatra was resumed last year after a gap of nearly five years as part of efforts to normalise the relations between India and China. Notably, Nepal's objection over conducting the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Lipulekh came days before a planned trip by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Kathmandu. It is not immediately known whether there will be a review of the planned trip. (With inouts from news agency PTI)
