The longstanding Nepal-India border dispute escalated to a new height after the Nepal government issued a new political map incorporating the disputed territories in 2019. The foreign secretary-level meeting is the only mechanism agreed upon by the two sides to deal with the boundary issues. On Sept 13, Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Paudyal held bilateral talks with his Indian counterpart Vinaya Mohan Kwatra in New Delhi. The duo discussed a wide range of issues including the boundary row. “They exchanged views on resolving the boundary disputes through broader talks of the established mechanism,” says a statement issued by the Nepali side.

The Indian readout, however, makes no mention of discussion relating to the boundary issue.

A diplomatic source tells ApEx that the meeting has paved the way for the “boundary-specific” talks between the two sides. But the Indian side seems reluctant to sit for a meeting. It feels that there is no guarantee Nepali parliament will make changes on the political map based on the outcome of the meeting. It is also worried about the politicization of boundary issues in Nepal Nepal has been urging India to sit for talks in every high-level meeting, to no avail. Besides border disputes, Paudyal and Kwatra also touched upon other issues, such as concluding the Transit Treaty and its protocols, extending the petroleum pipeline from Amlekhgunj to Chitwan, and constructing an LPG pipeline from Motihari to Chitwan. On Nepal’s concern regarding India’s recent restrictions on wheat, sugar, paddy, and other items, India assured to maintain a seamless supply line of goods to Nepal. The two secretaries also reviewed the status of the implementation of agreements signed at the prime ministerial level.