evidence: The problem of the Mahakali river’s origin was first posed in 1997. The matter was referred to the Joint Technical Level Boundary Committee formed in 1981 to re-identify and replace the old and damaged boundary pillars along the border between India and Nepal. 98 percent of the border was clarified by the Commission, leaving only Kalapani and Susta (in the Terai) as unresolved. It was decided afterward that the issue should be resolved at the level of the Foreign Secretary. [...] Since the 1990s, as former Indian ambassador Jayant Prasad noted, the border conflict has been addressed through many official channels. The dispute has its roots from the 1950s. Besides Kalapani, the border area of the Susta river also had a conflict with India. Both governments agreed to discuss the issue through Foreign Secretary-level talks during Modi’s 2014 visit. Nepal says that it has since attempted to convene these talks twice, and has received no positive response from Delhi. Different conceptions of what exactly supports a diplomatic dialogue may also be at the root of the problem. In Nepal’s maximalist perspective, on the one hand, this would include all the territories it holds, including now even Limpyadhura. In India’s minimalist perspective, on the other hand, the problem is seen as more of a technical sort, based on delimitation, boundary pillars etc., perhaps reflecting why it delayed discussion. The ongoing crisis has revealed the extent to which the perceptions of both countries conflict, as well as the conflicting goals.