Nepal, India to step up vigil to check fake currency smuggling

KATHMANDU: As India raised concerns over large scale smuggling of counterfeit currency from Nepal, the two countries today agreed to step up vigilance on the border that would also help combat terrorist activities and human trafficking.

At the home secretary-level talks concluding here today, Nepal and India also inched closer to an extradition treaty.

At the the two-day meeting between the Indian side led by Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai and the Nepalese side headed by Govinda Kusum, both countries reiterated their commitment to not allow their territories to be used for activities against the other, said a statement.

Both sides also discussed the security situation in South Asia and ways to check cross border criminal activities, Kusum told reporters.

The two sides also agreed to hold meeting of the Joint Working Group of Border Management in the first quarter of next year and step up cooperation to prevent smuggling of fake currency, human trafficking and terrorist activities.

"The talks were very fruitful and both sides agreed to continue cooperation in security matters, border management and maintaining peace and security," said Pillai.

On the Extradition Treaty, he said it is passing through various processes and there is a need for high level political discussion between two Home Ministers before initialling it.

"There are no differences as regards the draft of the treaty," Pillai said in a question.