Kathmandu, July 31, 2025. As discussions around Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s upcoming visit to India gather momentum, dormant bilateral mechanisms between Nepal and India have started to reactivate. After several years of inactivity, two key platforms — the Home Secretary-level meeting and the Nepal–India Boundary Working Group — have recently convened, drawing significant attention in diplomatic circles.
🔹 Home Secretary-Level Meeting Held in Delhi
After a hiatus of nine years, the Home Secretary-level meeting between Nepal and India was held last week in New Delhi. According to Nepal’s Home Ministry spokesperson Ram Chandra Tiwari, the meeting addressed cross-border crimes, drug trafficking, intelligence sharing, and broader security cooperation. Both sides agreed to strengthen coordination between relevant agencies to more effectively combat cross-border criminal activities.
Boundary Working Group Reconvenes After Six Years
The Nepal–India Boundary Working Group (BWG), which was established during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2014 visit to Nepal, met on Saun 12–13 (July 26–27) for the first time since 2019. The working group is mandated to handle maintenance and construction of boundary pillars, technical surveys, and cleaning of the no-man’s land (Dasgaja area).
According to a press release by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the meeting finalized a three-year work plan to accelerate field-level activities, and both countries agreed to adopt new technologies for surveying and mapping.
No Discussion on Nepal’s New Political Map
The meeting, however, did not address Nepal’s updated political map which includes Limpiyadhura, Kalapani, and Lipulekh—territories disputed with India. Nepal had released the new map in 2020, which India rejected. A Nepali Foreign Ministry official clarified that the BWG’s mandate is not to resolve border disputes, but to focus only on technical and maintenance issues related to boundary demarcation.
Next Meeting Scheduled in Nepal
According to Nepal’s Foreign Ministry, another high-level meeting involving survey officials is scheduled to be held in Nepal in August, ahead of PM Oli’s official trip to India. These meetings are being seen as groundwork for building trust and smoothing bilateral engagements.
Security Cooperation Strengthened
India’s Ministry of Home Affairs stated that the Home Secretary-level dialogue also involved comprehensive discussions on strengthening integrated check posts, enhancing cross-border infrastructure (roads and railways), disaster risk reduction, and institutional capacity building of security forces on both sides.
Furthermore, both countries reported progress on finalizing the draft Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) and revising the extradition treaty, with talks in their final stages.
Analysis:
The reactivation of Nepal–India bilateral mechanisms after years of dormancy signifies a renewed diplomatic momentum ahead of Prime Minister Oli’s much-anticipated visit to India. While technical cooperation on border management and security is advancing, core territorial disputes remain unaddressed. The upcoming meetings will likely serve as key platforms for rebuilding bilateral confidence and exploring deeper diplomatic engagement.
