United Nations will neither use nor officially endorse the new Nepal map

KATHMANDU: Even as the KP Sharma Oli-led Nepal government plans to send a new Nepali map, which shows Indian territories as Nepali, to the United Nations, the New York-based intergovernmental body won't be using it in its official dealings. The UN website will also not show territories and areas claimed by Nepal as Nepali territories.

The reason being, the UN prints it’s own maps and every map comes with a disclaimer. The one on the UN Maps says, "The boundaries and names that are shown and the designations that have been used on this map do not imply the official endorsement or acceptance by the UN".

The UN does not use either India’s, Pakistan's, or China’s maps, or for that matter, any territory that is claimed but goes by its administration largely. The body will, however, as part of diplomatic protocol, accept it, whenever Kathmandu sends it.

The new Nepali map shows Indian territories of Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani as its own. India had strongly reacted to the development calling it a "unilateral act", one that is "unjustified cartographic assertion".

What is interesting is that previous maps submitted by Nepal never included Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani. In some sense, while Nepal will be sending an updated map, it will be unintentionally conveying formally that it has indulged in cartographic assertion, as New Delhi had said.

The new Nepal map was announced with an executive decision by the KP Sharma Oli-led government. The constitutional amendment to give legal backing to its coat of arms that shows the new map was passed by the Nepal parliament earlier this year.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had at that time said that the map "is not based on historical facts and evidence."

He had further pointed out, "It is contrary to the bilateral understanding to resolve the outstanding boundary issues through diplomatic dialogue. Such artificial enlargement of territorial claims will not be accepted by India." The ties between the two governments have gone downhill ever since then.