India on Saturday has rejected Nepal’s claim against the construction of the road to Lipulekh on the border with China saying that the recently inaugurated link road in Uttarakhand passes through its region and the region lies totally inside Indian borders.

The Nepal government said it has reliably maintained that as per the Sugauli Treaty of 1816, all territories east of Kali (Mahakali River) including Limpiadhura, Kalapani, and Lipulek belonged to Nepal and this claim has been made known to the Indian government.

The high-altitude road from Dharchula to Lipulekh near the China border, which cuts travel time to Mansarovar, was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday.

On Saturday, in the statement of Nepal’s Foreign Ministry, “The government of Nepal has learned with regret about the inauguration yesterday by India of a link road connecting to Lipulek (Nepal) passing through it and the unilateral act runs against the understanding reached between the two countries including at the Prime Ministers’ level that a solution to the boundary issue would be sought through negotiation.”

The statement from Nepal’s foreign ministry said Kathmandu had reiterated its claim to all territories east of the Mahakali river several times, most recently through a diplomatic note sent to New Delhi on November 20 last year.