Nepal-India Border Dispute: Implications of Using Drones for Mapping ‘Cross-Border Occupations’
Image source, AFP via Getty Images
Survey officials from Nepal and India decided last week to utilize drones for mapping the Dashgaja encroachments and cross-border land usage in a recent bilateral meeting. Experts suggest this approach could open pathways toward resolving longstanding border issues.
Senior survey officers from Nepal’s Survey Department and India’s Survey of India met in Lucknow where they agreed to complete the mapping of Dashgaja encroachments and ‘cross-border occupation’—previously a pilot project—within three years.
The announcement followed Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s parliamentary acknowledgment that Nepal has encroached on Indian territory in several areas, which sparked significant political controversy.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs promptly clarified that the Prime Minister’s remarks referred to the Dashgaja area encroachments and instances where citizens of one country reside and cultivate land across the border, termed ‘cross-border occupation.’
Former Director General of Nepal’s Survey Department emphasized the decision provides an opportunity to address local issues, highlighting the need for identifying and listing contested areas. He further stressed the requirement for policy-level decisions on handling such matters.
Significance of the Decision
Following backlash over the Prime Minister’s statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that technical teams from both countries are actively collecting data related to the Dashgaja encroachments and cross-border occupations.
Officials confirmed that drone mapping of these areas is to be completed within the designated timeframe.
Survey Department spokesperson Dayanand Joshi stated, “The decision has been made to use drones for mapping cross-border occupations. The joint border working group has planned multiple tasks over the next three years, including this.”
He further clarified, “This project encompasses both cross-border occupations and the Dashgaja area encroachments.”
India has not formally responded to this recent meeting. However, a 2019 bilateral Survey Officers ‘SOC’ meeting held in Dehradun had introduced a pilot scheme to map Dashgaja encroachments and border land-use patterns using unmanned aerial vehicles.
Subsequent technical border talks were delayed due to map disputes, though the 12th meeting of this mechanism took place in Kathmandu in February this year.
Experts’ Perspectives
Buddhinarayan Shrestha, former Director General of the Survey Department, described the recent decision as significant and helpful for resolving local disputes.
He observed, “Indian farmers have encroached on Nepalese land and vice versa. I refer to this as ‘transboundary farming occupation.’ This situation arises in the absence of border pillars or dashgaja demarcations.”
Image source, RSS
Survey Department officials noted that only after mapping will it be possible to accurately identify which specific areas have these disputes. However, Shrestha recounts decades-old monitoring pinpointing dozens of such incidents across the border.
“A study from 2005 found Indian farmers encroached upon Nepalese land at 84 locations, while Nepalese farmers occupied Indian territory at 27 sites,” he stated.
Former Foreign Secretary Shankardas Vairagi emphasized the need to request information on encroachments from local officials, including ward and parcel numbers, suggesting technical teams prepare detailed lists.
“It may take some time for the technical teams to compile these, after which senior officials and negotiators should determine solutions,” he recommended.
Shrestha explained that dispute resolution is possible through 182 mapped strips agreed upon between Nepal and India.
“If Nepalese have encroached on Indian farmers’ land, they should be asked to vacate immediately; if not, compensation can be arranged after both sides assess land documents and ownership records,” he added.
During Chinese border demarcation, a one-year period was allotted for land sales. If sales were not concluded, Tibetan and Nepalese officials convened to provide compensation and resolve disputes. Notably, Nepal received approximately 302 square kilometers more territory than Tibet under that process.
Nepal and India share an open border approximately 1,880 kilometers long, patrolled by Nepal’s Armed Police Force and India’s Border Security Force respectively.
Shrestha mentioned, “Based on maps, 8,553 boundary pillars should be in place along the Nepal-India border, yet about 42 percent remain to be installed.”
Technical teams have noted that areas with Dashgaja encroachments and cross-border occupations often include agricultural land, residences, and physical infrastructure. Some cases are also documented in government records.