Lipulekh Pass
Geography and Geopolitical Significance
Lipulekh Pass is a high-altitude Himalayan pass located in the Kumaon region of Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand, at an elevation of approximately 5,334 metres (17,500 feet). It sits near the trijunction of India, China (Tibet), and Nepal, making it one of the most geopolitically sensitive points in India's western Himalayan frontier.
- The pass connects Uttarakhand (India) with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
- It is one of the traditional routes used by Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrims — the yatra has also been suspended since 2020.
- Nepal claims the Kalapani territory just south of the pass, which has been under Indian administration since the British colonial era — a source of ongoing India-Nepal bilateral tension.
- India's 2020 inauguration of a road to Lipulekh drew formal protests from Nepal.
● Tracked since March 20, 2026 · last seen July 28, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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