India-Nepal Trade Panel Reviews Market Access, Transit Issues
IGSC meeting in New Delhi discusses customs, connectivity, standards and measures to curb unauthorised cross-border trade
- India and Nepal held the Inter-Governmental Sub-Committee meeting on September 16–17.
- Discussions covered market access, customs, pharmaceuticals, food safety and medical devices.
- Both sides reviewed rail, road, Integrated Check Posts and land-port infrastructure.
- Officials agreed to strengthen cooperation against unauthorised trade and commercial fraud.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 18th Sept: The India-Nepal Inter-Governmental Sub-Committee (IGSC) on Trade, Transit and Cooperation to Control Unauthorised Trade met in New Delhi on September 16–17 to review bilateral trade, transit and connectivity-related issues.
The meeting was held at Vanijya Bhawan, with the Indian delegation led by Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ujjwal Kumar Ghosh, and the Nepali delegation headed by Joint Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Buddha Bahadur Gurung.
Senior officials from the concerned ministries and departments of both countries participated in the discussions. The IGSC serves as an institutional mechanism for examining detailed trade-related issues and facilitating bilateral trade and transit between India and Nepal.
The two sides reviewed issues concerning market access, customs and trade facilitation, standards, food safety, phytosanitary measures, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and AYUSH products. They also discussed border infrastructure, rail and road connectivity and other matters affecting bilateral trade.
Measures to expand market access for products from both countries were considered, including issues related to agricultural and dairy products, food items, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and AYUSH products. Officials also discussed applicable standards and phytosanitary requirements.
Customs cooperation and digital trade facilitation formed another part of the discussions. The two sides considered pre-arrival exchange of information, electronic verification of Certificates of Origin, customs automation and digitalisation.
The discussions aimed at facilitating legitimate trade while strengthening mechanisms to ensure compliance with applicable rules and prevent the misuse of preferential trade arrangements.
Transit and connectivity were also reviewed, including rail and road links, freight movement, Integrated Check Posts and land-port infrastructure. Both sides discussed improving the utilisation of existing infrastructure and addressing operational bottlenecks affecting bilateral and transit trade.
India and Nepal also welcomed continued cooperation in areas such as standards, food safety, plant quarantine and conformity assessment, including institutional cooperation and capacity-building initiatives.
Officials emphasised the need for continued coordination among relevant agencies to facilitate legitimate cross-border trade and address unauthorised trade and commercial fraud.
The meeting concluded in a cordial and constructive atmosphere, with both sides agreeing to maintain engagement through established institutional mechanisms and pursue time-bound follow-up on issues requiring further technical examination.
India and Nepal share longstanding historical, cultural and economic ties. India is Nepal’s largest trading partner and an important source of investment. The discussions at the IGSC are aimed at further strengthening bilateral trade, transit connectivity and economic cooperation between the two countries.
