Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: Nepal
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question relates to political geography and India foreign relations. Territorial disputes over small border regions often appear in news and in exam questions. Kalapani is one such disputed area in the Himalayan region. Knowing which neighbouring country disputes this area with India is useful for questions on maps, geopolitics and current affairs.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The approach is to recall the major territorial disputes between India and each neighbour. With Pakistan, disputes include Jammu and Kashmir and Sir Creek. With China, issues include Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh (McMahon Line), but China is not listed among the options. With Bangladesh, earlier disputes focused on enclaves and maritime boundaries, which have been largely settled. Kalapani, however, is specifically mentioned in the context of India Nepal border, making Nepal the correct choice.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that Kalapani is a region in the Himalayan area, near the tri junction of India, Nepal and China.
Step 2: Remember that Nepal claims this region as part of its territory, while India administers it as part of Uttarakhand state.
Step 3: Local maps and political discussions in Nepal often show Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura as areas of dispute.
Step 4: Compare this with disputes involving other neighbours: Pakistan is associated with Kashmir, Bangladesh with river and enclave issues, Sri Lanka with maritime fishing disputes, and Bhutan with friendly relations and limited border issues.
Step 5: Only Nepal clearly matches the Kalapani context.
Verification / Alternative check:
Exam oriented articles on India border disputes often list Kalapani as India Nepal dispute, along with descriptions of how the river source and historical treaties are interpreted differently by the two countries. India considers the Kali river to originate at one point, and Nepal at another, leading to overlapping territorial claims. This specific India Nepal context confirms that Nepal is the correct answer.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B (Bangladesh) is wrong because India Bangladesh disputes earlier centred on enclaves like Dahagram and Angarpota and on river water sharing, not on Kalapani.
Option C (Pakistan) is incorrect; although India Pakistan have major disputes, they concern regions such as Jammu and Kashmir and Sir Creek, not Kalapani.
Option D (Sri Lanka) is wrong; issues there focus more on fishing rights and maritime boundaries, not on Himalayan land borders.
Option E (Bhutan) is incorrect; India and Bhutan have close ties and no prominently known dispute over the specific area named Kalapani.
Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to associate any disputed name with India Pakistan or India China disputes because they are widely covered in news. However, exam questions often test knowledge of lesser known disputes such as Kalapani with Nepal, and border agreements with Bangladesh and Myanmar. Students should map each named disputed area to its correct neighbouring country while revising political geography.
Final Answer:
India has the Kalapani territorial dispute with its neighbour Nepal.
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