North-Western Boundary of Nepal

Abstract

Following the publication of new political maps by India on 2nd and 8th November 2019, the issues related to the source of Mahakali River and Indian occupation of the Nepali territory east of the river, have, once again, come to the surface. And, the Nepali civil society has come out strongly against the newly published political maps of India, prepared a new map of Nepal, showing the whole of the territory east of Mahakali River (about 400 sq. km) as Nepalese land on the basis of Treaty of Sugauli signed in 1816 by East India Company of Great Britain and Raja of Nepal. An analysis of the maps, so far available, shows that changes have been made in the names of the river and places, and there is cartographic aggression and manipulation by India in relation to Mahakali River and its boundary with Nepal’s northwest. It has also been found that Nepal has published a map in the past showing its international boundary without any basis of the treaties and other historical documents. Analysis clearly shows that the river originating from Limpiyadhura is the Mahakali (called Kalee/Kali River) as per Article 5 of the Sugauli treaty and it forms the international boundary between the two countries.