KATHMANDU – The new 100-rupee issued by Nepal’s central bank irked Indian government, with opposition leaders slamming Modi government for failing to respond.
The landlocked country of South Asia put Indian-occupied areas of Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura on its new 100-rupee currency note, triggering an uproar across New Delhi. The move infuriated opposition leaders, with Congress slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for failing to protect India’s territorial claims.
The new note printed in large numbers features map that includes territories historically claimed by Nepal but currently under Indian control in Uttarakhand and the disputed Arunachal Pradesh region. Nepalese authorities insist the depiction aligns with the 2020 official Nepalese map.
Indian opposition leaders took to social media, lamenting that Nepal included several Indian territories on its new 100-rupee note, saying this act cannot be tolerated, and Modi government must respond forcefully to Nepal. They also criticized the central government’s foreign policy, claiming: “Today, the country is paying the price for Modi government’s failed diplomacy. First, China claims Arunachal Pradesh, now Nepal includes ‘Indian territories’ in its maps. This is unacceptable.”
Nepal’s decision comes after years of disputes over the northern regions. The newly depicted areas Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura have long been under Indian administration as part of Uttarakhand but are claimed by Nepal. The inclusion of these territories on the 100-rupee note means that every Nepalese citizen handling the most commonly used currency in daily transactions will see Nepal’s territorial claim.
Nepalese officials claimed that previous 100-rupee notes also depicted Nepal’s map, but the design has now been updated to reflect the official 2020 map, incorporating the disputed territories.
