KATHMANDU: India has reacted to Prime Minister Balen Shah’s recent remarks on the bilateral border dispute, asserting that there is no room for any third-party involvement in mutual affairs between the two nations.

Indian Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that approximately 98 percent of the India-Nepal border demarcation is complete, and remaining issues—such as ‘No Man’s Land’ encroachments and shifting river courses—are being addressed via established bilateral mechanisms.

The response follows a controversial statement by Prime Minister Shah during a parliamentary session, where he claimed that Nepal had also encroached upon Indian territory in several places.

While noting that diplomatic communications regarding Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura are underway for “table talk” resolutions involving surveyors and historians, Shah also mentioned consulting the British government regarding colonial-era border issues, prompting New Delhi’s firm reminder on bilateral exclusivity.