India vehemently denied Nepal's territorial claims over Lipulekh Pass on Sunday, stating that they are "neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence," as Kathmandu protested to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra passing through the contested area.
In response to questions from the media over remarks made by Nepal's Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that India's stance on the issue has been "consistent and clear."Since 1954, the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been conducted via Lipulekh Pass, a route that has been used for decades. The official spokesperson stated, "This is not a recent development."

What set off the altercation?
In a statement shared on social media on Sunday, Nepal's Foreign Ministry objected to China and India organising the forthcoming Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through Lipulekh Pass, arguing that it belongs to Kathmandu. Nepal claimed that it was not contacted before to the route's finalisation.
"The Nepal government is clear and fully committed to its stand that Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani, lying in the east of the Mahakali river are its inseparable territories based on the Sugauli Treaty of 1816," the Foreign Ministry of Nepal said. Kathmandu further stated that it had communicated its stance to China and India.Days after India declared on April 30 that the annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra would take place this year between June and August via two routes—Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La in Sikkim—Nepal objected.
For many years, India-Nepal relations have been strained by the territorial dispute over Lipulekh and Kalapani. In May 2020, the Oli-led government of Nepal added these areas to its official map. The action followed the opening of an 80-kilometer route in India that connected Lipulekh Pass and Dharchula. Nepal has objected to the road's opening, calling it India's "unilateral act."

The Nepalese government had previously asked India to refrain from engaging in border trade, road development, and pilgrimages in the region.
For Buddhists, Jains, and Hindus, the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake in China's Tibet Autonomous Region.