Nepal and India discuss movement of third-country nationals at annual border security coordination meeting

The eighth annual Nepal-India border security coordination meeting commenced in Kathmandu on Saturday, with security officials from both sides focusing on the growing concerns surrounding the movement of third-country nationals across the porous Nepal-India border.

The discussions, led by APF Inspector General Raju Aryal and SSB Director General Amrit Mohan Prasad, addressed the flow of nationals from countries like China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, The Kathmandu Post reported.

The two sides expressed mutual concerns regarding the movement of these nationals, with Indian officials highlighting the presence of Chinese and Pakistani nationals, while Nepal raised issues related to the influx of Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, especially following political instability in Bangladesh.

“They [Indian officials] indicated the movement of Chinese and Pakistani nationals from our border and we also expressed concerns about the Rohingya refugees as well as Bangladeshi nationals who started coming to Nepal after the recent political turmoil in Bangladesh,” said a senior Nepali security official attending the meeting.

Rishi Ram Tiwari, spokesperson for Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs, highlighted the broad range of issues discussed, which included tackling human trafficking, cross-border criminal activities, and increasing coordination between the two border agencies, reported The Kathmandu Post.

“We discussed a slew of issues related to boundary, border, human trafficking, checking cross-border criminal activities and coordination between the two agencies in border areas,” Tiwari said.

The annual meetings, which have been held since 2012, serve as a platform for addressing mutual security concerns, including drug trafficking, smuggling, and corruption.

The security agencies are focusing on enhancing joint patrolling, maintaining boundary pillars, and strengthening communication between the two sides. The APF has established 244 outposts along the Nepal-India border, while India maintains over 400 posts.

In addition to border security, the two agencies also discussed joint preparations for natural disasters, with both sides pledging to share resources and manpower to respond to emergencies affecting areas on both sides of the border, The Kathmandu Post reported.

“We are focusing on effective communication and timely information sharing between the two security agencies to combat this perennial crisis,” the security official said.

The meeting will continue until Monday, with both parties aiming to strengthen collaboration and curb cross-border crimes, while maintaining border integrity and security.