Kathmandu, Feb. 10
Security experts from
Nepal and India have stressed on implementing innovative approaches in border management.
Speaking at the Nepal-India Think Tank Forum on 'Regional Resilience: Strengthening
Nepal-India Security Cooperation' organised by Nepal Institute of International
Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE), they said that the two neighbours should
have smarter border that would promote better cross-border engagement of
people.
Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh (Retd.),
Director General of the United Service Institution of India, oldest think tank
of the Indian military, said that the
world over, there are controls and restrictions and people have had to struggle
for decades to try and introduce open borders.
"Here, we have
inherited them. You only have to use technology in order to safeguard against
threats that may emerge of movement from one side to the other. Why do you want
to manage open borders? What you have today is something unique across the
world," said Singh.
According to him,
Nepal and India should look at border governance rather than management. They
should enhance security cooperation and security governance.
He also said that anything
that may negatively impact the free flow of trade should not be promoted.
Likewise, Alok Bansal,
Executive Vice President of India Foundation, said that
a joint management of border is a
good proposition. But that can only come about if Nepal and India actually have
better cooperation.
Dr. Gaurav Saini, co-founder of the Council
for Strategic and Defence Research, said the India–Nepal border is unique for
its deep trade, cultural, and people-to-people ties, but its porous nature also
creates shared security challenges. He highlighted human trafficking, narcotics
smuggling, and counterfeit currency as transnational threats affecting both
countries, citing a January 2026 seizure of counterfeit Nepali currency by
Bihar Police.
Binoj Basnyat, Political and Security Analyst, suggested that there be smarter borders, not harder borders.
To further strengthen
the bilateral ties, he suggested to stabilise the Nepal-India
relationship, practise the discipline of engaging, not symbolic balancing, and
build institutions before ambitions.
While stressing the importance of elections
in Nepal, Singh questioned whether they would ensure strategic stability,
warning that without generational renewal and institutional reform, elections
may only repeat existing cycles. He described the post-election period as a
“strategic pause rather than a strategic solution” and called for an inclusive
dialogue.
Similarly, Ambassador Pankaj Saran, Former
National Security Advisor of India and Convenor at NatStrat, shared that he has
been impressed by the interaction with Youths of Nepal and youth of both India
and Nepal should engage to share the future of Nepal-India relations.
Anurag Acharya, Director PEI, discussed
three major avenues including physical connectivity, trade and digital
connectivity that have contributed to improved bilateral ties. He also
discussed emerging avenues like tech integration, religious and cultural tourism
and sports that could further contribute to business and economy on both sides.
Sumitra Karki, Director of NIICE, said that
they had a strong conviction that the Government of India must continue to
encourage Nepal studies in India, and the Government of Nepal must encourage
India studies back home, and knowledge exchange and institutional support can
only enhance mutual understanding between the two nations.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 11 February 2026.
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