Jaishankar’s sobering assessment of Nepal following currency note’s inclusion of Indian regions

GG News Bureau

Odisha, 5th May. Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar has criticized Nepal for acting “unilaterally” in the wake of the neighboring country’s introduction of a new Rupee 100 note that features three disputed Indian territory. The minister stated during a Bhubaneswar event that such a move by Nepal won’t alter the diplomatic circumstances between the two nations.

“I came across that report. Although I haven’t given it much thought, I believe our stance is fairly obvious. Through an established framework, we were holding conversations with Nepal over our boundary issues.

They then unilaterally implemented some steps on their end during that time. But even if they take action, it won’t alter the realities on the ground or the relationship between us, according to Jaishankar, who was speaking on ‘Why Bharat Matters’.

A new 100 rupee note with a map of the three areas of Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani—which India has already labeled as “untenable” and “artificial enlargement”—was revealed by Nepal on Friday.
“During the cabinet meetings held on April 25 and May 2, the cabinet approved to re-design the Nepalese Rupee 100 banknote and replace the old map printed on the background of the bank note,” Nepal government spokesman Rekha Sharma told the media following the meeting.

In 2020, Nepal added the three areas to its map, which caused the diplomatic relations between Nepal and India to collapse. Before merging the territories, the Ministry of Land Management of the government asserted that the Department of Survey had obtained an accurate scale, projection, and coordinate system. India included the areas in its November 2019 map, thus New Delhi was displeased with the action.

After a route connecting Kailash Mansarovar via Lipulekh was inaugurated on May 8, 2020, the relationship deteriorated even further. Nepal sent a diplomatic message to India protesting the construction of the road. Nepal had protested India’s unilateral decision to build the route before the handover.
In response, the External Affairs Ministry stated that the road that passes through the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand “lies completely within the territory of India”.

Over 1,850 kilometers separate Nepal from five Indian states: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, Bihar, and Sikkim.