Nepal, Nov 28 : Nepal’s Central Bank has officially brought into circulation newly printed 100-rupee banknotes featuring the disputed territories of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura areas claimed by both Nepal and India. The new notes entered circulation on Thursday, marking the first time Nepal has issued currency displaying the revised political map it adopted five years ago.
The updated map is placed prominently at the center of the banknote. Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) spokesperson Guru Prasad Paudel said the move follows a government decision to reflect the revised national boundaries on the currency.
“After 300 million pieces of 100 rupee notes containing these areas were delivered by China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation, we brought them into circulation,” Paudel said.
Background of the dispute
The map change traces back to 2020, when India released a new map including the same contested regions. Nepal responded by publishing its own map asserting the territories as Nepali land. During then–Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli’s tenure, Parliament amended the Constitution to formalise the claim, further straining relations with New Delhi.
The disputed stretch lies along the northwestern border, adjoining India’s Uttarakhand. Despite several rounds of diplomatic talks, the boundary issue remains unresolved and continues to be a major point of friction in bilateral ties.
Only the ₹100 note updated
NRB issues banknotes in denominations of ₹5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000, but only the 100-rupee note carries a map of Nepal. The Central Bank clarified that the updated map has been added only to this denomination.
Other design elements of the note remain unchanged its color and dimensions are the same. The left side features Mount Everest, while the right carries a rhododendron watermark.
At the center, below the map, is an image of the Ashoka Pillar with the inscription “LUMBINI, THE BIRTHPLACE OF LORD BUDDHA.” Adjacent to it is a black tactile mark to assist visually impaired individuals. On the left, an image of Maya Devi, the mother of Lord Gautam Buddha, appears inside a silver metallic oval.