KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in response to Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar's claim that Lord Buddha was an Indian, had stated that Buddha's place of birth is undeniably Lumbini.

It further stated that historical and archaeological facts support the fact.

Subsequently, the External Affairs Ministry of India issued a brief statement stating that there is no confusion over the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, which is in Nepal.

"EAM’s remarks yesterday at the CII event referred to our shared Buddhist heritage. There is no doubt that Gautam Buddha was born in Lumbini, which is in Nepal," the statement read.

MoFA press release.

Background

In response to media queries about Government of Nepal’s comment on the recent statement made by the External Affairs Minister of India on Gautam Buddha, the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the matter remains axiomatic and thus cannot be a subject of debate.

He added that, the fact that Buddha was born in Nepal is supported by historical and archaeological evidences. "The entire international community is aware of this."

MoFA's statement has come after the Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday amid a virtual meet, had made a controversial comment, referring to Gautam Buddha as an Indian national.

" Who are the two greatest Indians...ever... that you can remember? I would say one is Gautam Buddha and the other is Mahatma Gandhi. Not just greatest Indians that you and I as Indians remember but the greatest Indians that the world remembers" Jaishankar quoted.

In the past, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi in the UN Assembly had said that India gave Gautam Budha to the world, which was in contradiction with his earlier statement during his visit to Nepal in 2014, while addressing Nepal’s Legislature Parliament, had said that “Nepal is the country where apostle of peace in the world, Buddha, was born.”

Modi's statement at the time had brought widespread outrage among the Nepali nationals.