India and Nepal Set Three-Year Target for Border Land Mapping

India and Nepal have pledged to map cross-border occupation of land within three years, giving fresh hope to resolve an ongoing technical issue along their porous border. The bilateral process of mapping will involve the usage of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to locate land areas where inhabitants of one country cultivate and live in the area which belongs to the other nation. The mapping process is likely to commence post-2026 monsoons in September or October. The goal is to generate credible technical information about how to handle any issues pertaining to the border dispute.

What did India and Nepal Agreed?

It was decided during the 13th meeting of the Survey Officers’ Committee (SOC) which ended in Lucknow on August 14, 2026.

Both the nations agreed upon an annual plan and budget for the survey. Using the UAVs, aerial pictures will be captured in the relevant areas and then jointly analyzed by both nations to ascertain the scope and nature of cross-border occupation.

This effort is primarily focused on generating technical information rather than making an instant determination about the land ownership.

Why is Cross-Border Land Occupation Taking Place?

One of the reasons for cross-border land occupation is the shifting of rivers along the India-Nepal border.

In certain areas, where rivers were the basis of demarcation, the course of the river channels changed over time. This led to the phenomenon where inhabitants kept cultivating land which belonged to the other side of the defined border.

India-Nepal Border: Important Information About the Boundaries

India and Nepal share a border of about 1,880 kilometres, spread across 27 districts.

Nepal’s Department of Survey claims that 8,554 boundary pillars have been erected along the border. Unfortunately, 1,325 pillars are missing, and there are 1,956 damaged boundary pillars.

Boundary pillar repair and reconstruction fall under the list of technical tasks that need to be accomplished by the BWG and field-level teams.

Why Were Past Deadlines Not Met?

Previously, India and Nepal faced problems in finishing technical boundary tasks on time. Three years deadline fixed in 2015 could not be met, and then in 2017, India and Nepal decided on a new deadline of 2022.

Lack of funding, the coronavirus pandemic, boundary related problems and adverse weather conditions were among other reasons for delays.

The BWG had again committed to completing the technical boundary task in three years in 2025. However, Susta and Kalapani-Limpiyadhura-Lipulekh do not fit into this timeline.

It was brought back into focus in May 2026 when Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah highlighted it during a session of the Parliament. After that, the Foreign Ministry of Nepal made it clear that it was not a question about claiming territory but about cross-border occupation and land usage.

How Will Mapping Using UAVs Help?

Mapping with the help of UAVs is expected to bring up aerial images that would allow technical experts from the two countries to analyze them together.

The image would be used to determine the location of the occupied or cultivated land area. It may also become a part of more systematic approaches to the border management in the future as well because of the uniformity of aerial images.

The mapping will take place within the framework of Survey Officials’ Committee, Boundary Working Group (BWG) and Joint Field Survey Teams.