Prelims
Location:
- A mountain pass in the Himalayas at the tri-junction of India–Nepal–China (Tibet Autonomous Region).
- Situated in Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand (India).
Physical Features:
- Connects Kailash–Mansarovar (Tibet) with India.
- Lies near the headwaters of the Kali (Sharda) River.
Strategic & Cultural Importance:
- One of the approved routes for the Kailash–Mansarovar Yatra.
- Strategic for India due to proximity to India–China border and surveillance of Tibet plateau.
- India has developed a road via Dharchula–Lipulekh to facilitate movement.
Disputes: India–Nepal border dispute: Nepal claims the areas of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura, and Lipulekh as its territory (based on interpretation of the Sugauli Treaty, 1816).