KATHMANDU, April 10: Customs officials from Nepal and India began bilateral talks in Kathmandu focused on making trade between the two countries smoother while addressing illegal trade and revenue leakage.
Key agenda items include early sharing of export-related data between customs offices, implementing an electronic cargo tracking system on containers shipping goods from third countries via India to Nepal and vice versa, and strengthening quality testing and quarantine mechanisms at border checkpoints, according to Narayan Prasad Regmi, spokesperson for Nepal’s Department of Customs.
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Nepal has also raised the issue of India recognizing electronic certificates of origin issued under Nepal’s National Single Window System. Other priorities include timely completion of the integrated check posts under construction in Bhairahawa and Chandani–Dodhara, and simplifying India’s quality certification process for Nepali exports.
The two-day talks, concluding on Friday, are led by Mahesh Bhattarai, Director General of Nepal’s Department of Customs, and Abhay Kumar Srivastava, Director General of India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.
Nepal’s delegation includes senior officials from the Ministries of Finance, Foreign Affairs, Industry, Commerce and Supplies, as well as departments related to food technology, quarantine, and quality control. The Indian side comprises representatives from India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (Lucknow regional unit), the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, and customs offices from Kolkata, Patna, and Lucknow.
