Kathmandu, April 10: Talks have begun in Kathmandu between customs officials of the two countries, with a focus on making trade between Nepal and India more convenient and simpler, as well as controlling illegal trade and revenue leakage.
The talks include providing advance information related to export trade between the customs offices of the two countries, implementing an electronic cargo tracking system on freight containers carrying goods coming from third countries to Nepal via India, and exporting goods from Nepal via India to third countries.
Similarly, discussions will be held on issues such as further strengthening the quality and quarantine inspection system at border points to test the quality of imported and exported goods, said Narayan Prasad Regmi, Information Officer at the Customs Department. The discussions will also discuss issues such as India’s recognition of the Certificate of Origin issued electronically through the National Single Window System implemented by Nepal, the completion of the Integrated Checkpoints under construction in Bhairahawa and Chandani-Dodhara within the targeted timeframe, and the facilitation of the quality certification process implemented by India for the export of Nepali products to India.
The two-day talks, which will be held on April 10 and 11, are led by Mahesh Bhattarai, Director General of the Department of Customs, while Abhay Kumar Srivastava, Director General of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, is leading the Nepali delegation on behalf of India.
The negotiating team from Nepal includes high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, Department of Animal and Crop Quarantine, and other agencies. Similarly, the Indian team includes the Assistant Director General of the Revenue Intelligence Directorate, Lucknow Regional Unit, the First Secretary of the Indian Embassy in Nepal, and the heads of the Kolkata, Patna, and Lucknow Customs offices, among other officials.
