Nepal Govt to issue new 1 rupee coin with 'disputed map' despite India's objections

Nepal has decided to issue a new one-rupee coin featuring its revised official map, which depicts Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura as part of its territory. Nepal Rastra Bank spokesperson Guru Prasad Poudel confirmed that the central bank will mint the new currency, which will be smaller and lighter than the existing coin. The decision revives the ongoing boundary dispute between India and Nepal regarding the sovereignty of these strategic border regions.

The controversy originally emerged in May 2020 during former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli's regime, when Nepal officially updated its map to include the three areas. India maintains that Limpiyadhura, Kalapani, and Lipulekh belong to the state of Uttarakhand. The Indian government has previously raised formal objections to unilateral cartographic changes, reiterating that sensitive territorial issues should be resolved through bilateral diplomatic negotiations.

Nepal's cabinet had briefly decided on July 20 to replace the map on the coin with an image of a Buddhist monastery. However, intense political pressure from opposition parties and public protest forced the government to roll back that change and reinstate the revised map design. Nepal Rastra Bank is awaiting final design documentation before commencing production of the new coins.