Nepal's government cannot verify if it possesses the original 1816 Sugauli Treaty papers.
The missing documents are central to a long-standing border dispute with India.
The 1816 treaty established the Kali River as Nepal's western boundary.
Searches of national archives, ministries, and museums have failed to locate the text.
More context
The 1950 Nepal-India Peace and Friendship Treaty is also reportedly missing.
This development complicates claims over Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani.
Nepal released a revised map in 2020 including these disputed territories.
India maintains the 2020 map was an artificial enlargement of Nepalese claims.
Activists in Nepal are gathering one lakh signatures for a UN petition on the issue.
Historical records are vital for diplomatic resolution of Himalayan territorial rows.
The absence of physical treaties hampers formal legal verification of sovereignty.
Diplomatic relations remain strained over the precise definition of the border region.