Kalapani River

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The Kalapani River runs through northern India and western Nepal and includes a disputed area of about 400 km² ^[1] around the source of the river although the exact size of the disputed area varies from source to source.^[2] The river borders the Nepalese zone of Mahakali and the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The Sugauli Treaty signed by Nepal and British India in 1816 locates the Mahakali River as Nepal's western boundary with India.^[3] Subsequent maps drawn by British surveyors show the source of the boundary river at different places. This discrepancy in locating the source of the river led to boundary disputes between India and Nepal, with each country producing maps supporting their own claims. Nepal claims the source of the Mahakali River is to the west of Kalapani, while India claims it is to the east.^[3] Kalapani has been occupied by India's Indo-Tibetan border security forces since the 1962 border war with China. India maintains a strict border regime to keep out Maoist insurgents and control illegal cross-border activities from Nepal.^[1] The issue was raised again after India and Nepal signed an agreement in 1996 to exploit the border river for hydroelectric power and irrigation.