Nepal has sparked a fresh diplomatic row with India after releasing a redesigned ₹100 currency note that features a national map including Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura — territories that India firmly maintains are part of its sovereign land.
The new banknote, issued by Nepal Rastra Bank and dated 2081 BS (2024), depicts Mount Everest along with a faint green map placing the three disputed regions within Nepal’s borders. The move revives tensions that originally escalated in 2020, when Kathmandu amended its official political map to include the same areas.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reacted sharply, calling the depiction a “unilateral act” that carries no legitimacy. Officials reiterated that such symbolic steps “do not alter the ground reality” and urged Nepal to avoid actions that could harm bilateral relations.
The development also triggered political reactions in India. Congress leader Pawan Khera termed the move “absolutely shocking” and demanded a strong diplomatic response from the government.
With Nepal insisting on its cartographic claim and India dismissing the gesture as politically motivated, the new currency note has once again brought the long-standing border dispute back into the spotlight — potentially straining ties between the two neighbours at a sensitive time.
