Nepal-India Border Security Forces Hold Coordination Meeting Ahead of Elections

Kanchanpur. A battalion-level (DIG level) equivalent coordination meeting between the Armed Police Force Nepal and the Indian Armed Border Security Force was held in Champawat, Uttarakhand, India.

The Armed Police Force stated that the meeting held on Thursday discussed controlling illegal infiltration, smuggling, and drug trafficking that might occur in the border areas in the context of the upcoming House of Representatives elections.

Both sides agreed to exchange information and control such activities by closely monitoring potential anti-election activities during the election period, illegal infiltration, the effectiveness of border closure during the silence period, and potential illegal and unlawful activities. It was reported that the meeting also discussed strengthening joint and parallel border patrols and ensuring tight and robust security arrangements to address potential security challenges during the elections. An agreement was reached to instruct their respective subordinate units to maintain continuous and close cooperation to control illegal activities in the border areas, unauthorized entry of third-country nationals, drug trafficking, human trafficking, counterfeit currency transactions, and arms and cash smuggling.

The coordination meeting was attended by a delegation led by Armed Police Senior Superintendent Digvijay Subedi, Acting Battalion Commander of the Armed Police Force, Nepal No. 7 Baidyanath Battalion Headquarters, Attariya. On the Indian Border Security Force side, DIGs Sudhanshu Nautiyal and Anil Kumar Sharma from Sector Headquarters Almora and Pilibhit, along with all Regiment Commanders of the Indian equivalent Armed Border Force working in the border areas of Sudurpashchim Province, were present.

Various coordination meetings are regularly held between the Armed Border Force, India, and the Armed Police Force, Nepal, at the central, provincial, and district levels.