Nepal-India border security meeting focuses on movement of third-country nationals
Kathmandu: The eighth annual Nepal-India border security coordination meeting began in Kathmandu on Saturday, addressing rising concerns over the movement of third-country nationals across the porous border shared by the two nations, media reports said.
The talks were led by Nepal's Armed Police Force (APF) Inspector General Raju Aryal and India's Sashastra Seema Bal Director General Amrit Mohan Prasad. Discussions focused on nationals from countries such as China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, according to The Kathmandu Post.
Indian officials raised concerns over the presence of Chinese and Pakistani nationals near the border, while Nepal highlighted issues related to the increasing influx of Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, particularly amid political unrest in Bangladesh.
Both sides acknowledged the need for enhanced collaboration to address these challenges and ensure better border management.
A senior Nepali security official attending the meeting stated that Indian officials had pointed out the movement of Chinese and Pakistani nationals along the shared border.
"We also raised concerns about the influx of Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals entering Nepal following recent political unrest in Bangladesh," the official added.
Rishi Ram Tiwari, spokesperson for Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs, said the meeting covered a broad spectrum of issues, including human trafficking, cross-border criminal activities, and enhancing coordination between the two border agencies.
"We discussed a slew of issues related to the boundary, border management, human trafficking, and improving coordination in border areas," Tiwari remarked, reported The Kathmandu Post.
The Indo-Nepal annual meetings have been held since 2012.
The two nations aim to address mutual security concerns, including drug trafficking, smuggling, and corruption, on this platform.
The security agencies of India and Nepal joint are looking to enhance patrolling, maintaining boundary pillars, and strengthening communication between the two sides.
The Armed Police Force (APF) has set up 244 outposts along the Nepal-India border, while India operates over 400 posts, according to officials.
Apart from border security, the meeting also delved into joint preparations for natural disasters, with both sides agreeing to collaborate by sharing resources and manpower to tackle emergencies affecting border regions.
"We are prioritizing effective communication and timely information sharing between the two security agencies to address this ongoing challenge," a security official stated, as reported by The Kathmandu Post.
The meeting will continue till Monday during which the two nations will work on strengthening partnership on various fronts and arrest cross-border terrorism and infiltration from both sides.
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