The India–Nepal border is an open international boundary running between the countries of India and Nepal. The long border includes the Himalayan territories as well as Indo-Gangetic Plain of the subcontinent. The current border was delimited after the Sugauli treaty of 1816 between Nepal and the British Raj. Following Indian independence, the prevailing border was recognised as the international border between the Kingdom of Nepal and the Dominion of India.

Description The border starts in the west at the western tripoint with China. The de facto tripoint is near the Tinkar Pass in the Byans region, consistent with the 1961 China–Nepal Boundary Treaty. Nepal disputes this and claims the tripoint lies further north-west at Limpiyadhura, a position formalised in its 2020 political map.

The border then proceeds to the south-west through the Himalayas, the Sivalik Hills and then the Gangetic plain, initially overland and then utilising the Mahakali River. Just east of Majhola it turns to the south-east and proceeds in that direction overland, occasionally utilising various rivers and hill crests. North-west of Islampur the border turns to the north-east and proceeds overland to the eastern Chinese tripoint.

History

The border region has historically existed at the edge of various Indian and Nepali kingdoms. It took its modern shape during the period of British India which began in the 17th century. While the Gorkhalis fought the Kirati people to annex their territory in the late 18th century (notably in 1768), the Gorkha Kingdom launched an expansion drive, bringing them into conflict with the British and resulting in the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–16). The Kingdom of Nepal was defeated and was forced to sign the Treaty of Sugauli by the British East India Company (EIC), while ceding large areas of land to Britain, effectively creating the modern India-Nepal boundary. Finding the Terai region difficult to manage, the British returned parts of it to Nepal in 1816.

The western boundary and the Byans region Before the Gorkha conquest of Kumaon in 1791, the Byans region — including the villages of Chhangru and Tinkar east of the Kali River — formed part of Kumaon rather than of the Doti Kingdom.

Following the Treaty of Sugauli, the Nepali governor Bam Shah claimed the villages lying east of the Kali. The British conceded Chhangru and Tinkar but rejected his further claim to Kuti and Nabhi, which would have required treating the Kuthi Yankti — the larger, western headwater — as the main stream of the Kali. The zamindars of Byans petitioned against the separation, stating that six villages remaining on the British side were entirely dependent on the agricultural production of Chhangru and Tinkar.

The Byansi communities on either side of the boundary have maintained cross-border ties, including shared landholding and a common system of five mukhiyas spanning both countries.

India gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1947, and three years later it signed a friendship treaty with Nepal, by which both countries agreed to respect the territorial integrity of the other. Since then relations have largely been cordial, though a number of border disputes remain. There have also been occasional blockades on the border at times of tension, for example in 1987 and 2015.

Communities living in India and Nepal close to the Indo-Nepal border have usually shared old, customary ties of kinship and resource access with communities across the border, such as along the western part of the Indo-Nepal border, in the Mahakali valley.

Border disputes

There are two existing territorial disputes between India and Nepal, over the Kalapani territory, a area at the India–Nepal–China trijunction in the Uttarakhand state of India, and the Susta territory, a – area in Southern Nepal.: "Kalapani, 35 square kilometres piece of land, is entangled in controversy since mid-1996, a few months after the ratification of the Mahakali treaty (with India on the harnessing of hydro-power) by Nepal's Parliament."Nidhi Jamwal, As a river changed its course, a village on the India-Nepal border became disputed territory, Scroll.in, 19 March 2017: '"An area of some 5,000 acres [approximately 2,023 hectares] of land in Narsahi-Susta area adjoining the Gandak river in West Champaran district has been encroached upon by Nepalese nationals....," is how the then Union Minister of External Affairs answered a question in the Lok Sabha in 2002. Shrestha, however, alleged that over 14,860 hectares of Nepali land in Susta has been encroached upon by India.'

Border crossings

ICP

There are several major border crossings that the Indian Integrated Check Posts (ICP) use for processing cargo customs and immigration entry for citizens of third countries. These are, from west to east subcategorised by the states of India:India Bhutan in talks for establishing connectivity, newsdrum, 7 August 2023.

Uttarakhand: Banbasa in Champawat district - Dodhara Chandani in Kanchanpur District, Sudurpashchim Province, Nepal. ICP established in 2023.

Planned:

Pithoragarh-Dasharathchanda

Uttar Pradesh: Rupaidiha in Bahraich district - Nepalganj in Banke District, Nepal. ICP established in 2022.

Sonauli in Maharajganj district - Belahia, Siddharthanagar in Rupandehi District, Nepal. ICP established in 2023.

Bihar:

Raxaul in East Champaran district - Birgunj, Nepal (also known as the 'Gateway of Nepal'). ICP Raxaul was established in 2018.

Bhitthamore in Sitamarhi district - Malibara, Jaleshwar in Mahottari District, Nepal.

Jogbani in Araria district - Biratnagar, Nepal. ICP established in 2020.

Planned: Bairia-Gauriganj Salgori-Kechna

West Bengal Panitanki in Darjeeling district - Kakarbhitta, Nepal.

Planned: Panitanki (Naxalbari)-Birtamode Sukhia Pokhri-Pashupatinagar

Sikkim Panitanki in Darjeeling district - Kakarbhitta, Nepal.

Pelling (Dentam) - Panchami (Oyan)

Customs crossings

Since there are no fences along the border, there are several smaller official and unofficial border crossings. Smaller official border crossings, known as Chhoti Bhansar (Minor Customs) in the Nepali language, are as follows from west to east (by Indian state):

Uttarakhand Jhulaghat in Pithoragarh district - Mahakali in Baitadi District, Nepal

Uttar Pradesh Gauriphanta in Lakhimpur Kheri district - Dhangadi, Nepal. Murtiha in Lakhimpur Kheri district - Gulariya, Bardiya, Nepal. Tal Baghaura in Shravasti district - Laxmanpur, Nepal. Tulsipur in Balrampur district - Koilabas, Nepal. Barhani Bazar in Siddharthnagar district - Krishnanagar, Nepal

Bihar

Bhitthamore in Sitamarhi district, Bihar - Jaleshwor in Mahottari District, Nepal. Valmiki Nagar (Bhikhna Thori) in West Champaran district - Thori in Parsa District, Nepal. Bairgania in Sitamarhi district - Gaur in Rautahat District, Nepal. Sonbarsa in Sitamarhi district - Malangwa in Sarlahi District, Nepal. Pipraun in Madhubani district - Jatahi-Nagarain in Dhanusa District, Nepal. Jainagar in Madhubani district - Inarwa Phulbariya in Saptari District, Nepal. Laukaha in Madhubani district - Thadi in Bhagwanpur near Lahan Mulcipality in Siraha District of Nepal. Gandhi Chowk, Madhwapur in Madhubani district, India - Matihani in Mahottari district, Nepal Kunaolee (in Bhimnagar) in Supaul district - Bhantabari-Haripur in Sunsari District, Nepal (via Kosi barrage).10 Land Customs Stations To Come Up In Bihar Along Indo-Nepal Border: Shah., outlookindia, 16 sept 2023. Amgachhi in Araria district - Rangeli in Morang District, Nepal. Bahadurganj (Baria) (Bairia bazar) in Kishanganj district - Gauriganj in Jhapa District, Nepal. Galgalia (Kishanganj district).

West Bengal Mirik in Darjeeling district - Pashupatinagar, Ilam, Nepal

Cross-border railway lines

8 railway lines between India and Nepal either exist or they are under construction or planning as follows (listed east to west):How poor rail connectivity is acting as a hindrance to India's Act East policy, Economic Times, 20 October 2020.

Babaganj-Nepalganj line - complete and operational: Barhani-Kathmandu line - under planning: Barhani-Kapilvastu line - under planning: Nautanwa-Bhairwa line - under planning: Raxaul-Kathmandu line - under planning: Jaynagar-Bardibas railway line - mostly complete, except final and third phase (as of April 2022): 52 km out of total 68 km complete as of April 2022 while remaining is awaiting land acquisition. Jogbani-Biratnagar railway line - mostly complete, except 8 km long under construction section (as of April 2022): total 18.6 km. Kakarbhitta-New Jalpaiguri railway line - under planning:

Border security

The Nepal–India border is an open border,, Sunday Guardian, 11 Feb 2024 which is relatively peaceful. Nepali and Indian nationals do not need passports or visas to enter each other's countries, and tens of thousands of people cross the border every day for tourism and commerce.

The Indian side of the border is regulated by Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) along with local police. The Nepali side of the border is regulated by the Armed Police Force (APF) along with the local branch of Nepal Police. Often SSB (India) and APF (Nepal) perform joint patrols on the border. On a local level, Indian and Nepali district officials meet regularly to discuss security challenges and other issues on their respective border portions. Such meetings are usually attended by District Magistrates, local SSB representatives, customs chiefs from India including the Chief District Officer (CDO), local APF, Police and custom chiefs from Nepal.

See also India–Nepal relations Indo-Nepal Border Road Dasgaja

References