NEW DELHI: China's courting of Nepal over the Doklam issue has added another dimension to what is the most serious Sino-Indian border stalemate in decades.Beijing is seeking to play on Nepal's fears of Indian aggression in the disputed Kalapani area which is home to India-China-Nepal trijunction. Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba is expected to visit India later this month and reports from Kathmandu suggested that he may be under pressure to seek a review from India and China of their agreement in 2015 to develop Lipulekh Pass in the disputed Kalapani area as a trade transit point. Unlike as in Doklam, which is a border dispute between China and Bhutan, India is party to the Kalapani territorial dispute along with Nepal.Authorities in Kathmandu still resent the fact that PM Modi and President Jinping decided to mention Lipulekh in their joint statement of May 2015 without the two countries having consulted Nepal.Nepal accuses India of having forcibly occupied territory in the Kalapani area including the Lipulekh Pass. Leaders associated with Oli's CPN (UML), already seem to believe that China has agreed to review the Lipulekh arrangement and that the issue now has to be taken up with the Indian government.Official sources here said though that so far Nepal has given no indication that Deuba will take up the issue with India during his visit. According to diplomatic sources, there have been "informal discussions'' between the two nations over the issue.

Source: Times of India August 08, 2017 01:24 UTC