Lipulekh Pass & Shipki La

Published on 20 Nov 2025

• India recently rejected Nepal’s objection to resumption of India-China border trade through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand.

• China has agreed in principle to the proposal of resuming trade through Shipki-La in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh.

• It is located near the India-China (Tibet)-Nepal tri-junction in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district, and is a crucial pass in the Kumaun region’s Kali Valley.

• It offers a shorter travel route for the Kailash Mansarovar Pilgrimage, saving considerable travel time.

• Shipki La is situated at an elevation of 3,930 metres above sea level, and the pass has been part of documented trade since the 15th century, although oral histories suggest its legacy extends even further back.

• Through this pass the Sutlej River (known as Langqen Zangbo in Tibet) enters India.

• The old name of Shipki La was Pema La, or Shared Gate, also known as Shared Pass.

• It was declared the Line of Actual Control post-1962, and later, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police named it Shipki La.

  
  

Keywords:

Lipulekh Pass & Shipki La Nepal India-China border Uttarakhand Border passes Kailash Mansarovar Pilgrimage Sutlej Pem La Line of Actual Control post