Nepal to print new banknotes featuring disputed Indian territories

Nepal plans to print new banknotes featuring three disputed Indian territories; including Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura. These territories are located within Nepal’s border.

Nepal Rashtra Bank, the nation’s central bank is preparing to print new banknotes showing its updated map. This map includes the disputed three Indian territories.

This move will take one year to be completed within a year. Dilliram Pokharel is joint spokesperson for Nepal Rashtra Bank. He revealed that they have already begun the printing process of new banknotes.

Nepal's central bank is moving forward with plans to print #NewBanknotes featuring a #RevisedMap that incorporates #DisputedTerritories with India within the next year. Striving to include areas like #Kalapani, #Lipulekh, and #Limpiyadhura, the #NepalRashtraBank has started this… pic.twitter.com/O5LAsM6QfV
— Upendrra Rai (@UpendrraRai) September 4, 2024

According to Dilliam, this process would take six months to one year to complete. However, this significant move comes after the Nepali Cabinet decided under the leadership of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to print these banknotes on May 3, 2024.

However, the conflict surrounding three territories began in May 2020 when then-Nepalese government presented a new political map with 3 disputed territories in Parliament.

Former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli was leading the government then. Despite severe objections from India, the Nepalese Parliament approved this controversial map and replaced the old map version with the new one in all its official papers.

"चीन के बाद अब नेपाल भी आँखें दिखा रहा है।"

नेपाल ने शुक्रवार को मैप के साथ 100 रुपये के नए नोट छापने का ऐलान किया। इन नोटों में भारत के इलाकों-लिपुलेख, लिंपियाधुरा और कालापानी को दिखाया गया है। pic.twitter.com/Uspsw2kPre
— Jeetu Burdak (@Jeetuburdak) May 4, 2024

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Moreover, it announced the printing of new Rs 100 banknotes featuring this map on May 4, 2024. However, India still emphasizes that areas of Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura are part of its territory.

Hence, the geopolitical repercussions of Nepal’s decision to produce the new banknotes are expected to intensify further relations with India.

It is significant to note that Nepal has a long border with India spanning more than 1,850 kilometers and touches five Indian states. Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Prades, and Uttarakhand are among those states. Nepal is a landlocked country and is surrounded by India and China. It shares an open border with India.