Nepal's New Currency Note Sparks Tensions with India Over Disputed Territories
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Nepal has released new ₹100 currency notes featuring a map that includes three Indian territories: Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura. The move, which was first introduced on the old ₹100 note, has sparked tensions with neighboring India. According to sources from the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the new note bears the signature of former Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari and features a revised map that reflects the government's stance on the disputed territories. The map was first unveiled in 2020 by the K P Sharma Oli-led government and was later endorsed by the Parliament. India has maintained that the areas are part of its territory and has termed Nepal's move as an "artificial enlargement." External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently reiterated India's stance, stating that the move would not change the reality on the ground. The two countries are currently engaged in border talks, with discussions set to resume in November. The disputed territories are located along the 1,850 km border between Nepal and India, which connects five Indian states: Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. The release of the new currency note is likely to further strain relations between the two nations.
