Overview
- Nepal is now enforcing a long-standing rule that charges customs duty on goods bought in India worth more than 100 Nepali rupees.
- India’s foreign ministry said it understands Nepal’s stated goal is to curb informal trade and smuggling and that it remains engaged with Kathmandu on the issue.
- A senior Nepali official, cited by India, indicated people carrying household items for personal use should not be stopped at the frontier.
- Checks have drawn protests from border communities and in Kathmandu as residents who rely on small cross-border purchases report new hurdles for daily essentials.
- Traders report fewer Nepali buyers in Indian border markets, highlighting how tighter controls along the 1,750‑km open frontier can quickly strain local livelihoods.