India rejects Nepal's Kailash Mansarovar Yatra objection over Lipulekh

India on Sunday trashed Nepal's objection to conduct of upcoming Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the decades-old route of Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and asserted that such "unilateral artificial enlargement" of territorial claims is "untenable". New Delhi's sharp reaction came hours after the Nepal foreign ministry issued a statement strongly objecting to India and China making preparations for the annual pilgrimage via Lipulekh Pass without consulting Kathmandu, which claims the region belongs to it.
Last week, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that the annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will take place from June to August via two routes -- Lipulekh Pass and Nathu La in Sikkim.External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded to Nepal's claims related to border issues in the context of the annual pilgrimage to a holy mountain and lake in Tibet region by saying India’s position on the matter has been consistent and clear.Lipulekh Pass has been a long-standing route for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra since 1954 and the pilgrimage through this route is “not a new development”, he said.
The pilgrimage was also conducted through Lipulekh Pass in 2025, when it was resumed after a gap of five years as part of efforts by India and China to normalise their relations following the end of a prolonged military stand-off on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The pilgrimage is set to take place from June to August. Ten batches, each consisting of 50 pilgrims, will travel through Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand state, and another 10 batches, also consisting of 50 pilgrims, will travel through Nathu La in Sikkim state.