A top Nepalese official has sounded the alarm about the growing possibility of Pakistan-based terrorist groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), exploiting the open border between Nepal and India to launch terror attacks on Indian soil. The remarks were made by Sunil Bahadur Thapa, Advisor to the President of Nepal, during a high-level counter-terrorism seminar held by the Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE) in Kathmandu on July 9, 2025.

Thapa highlighted that the porous 1,751-km border shared by India and Nepal, while fostering close ties, is also highly vulnerable to misuse by terror operatives. He pointed out that terrorist incidents in India often have security repercussions in Nepal, thereby endangering regional peace, integration, and stability.

Thapa’s comments come at a time when cross-border terrorism has once again become a focal point in South Asian geopolitical discourse. He openly criticised Pakistan’s continued harbouring and support of designated terror outfits, describing it as a core obstacle to SAARC’s effectiveness and a major hindrance in achieving regional cooperation.

Strong Calls for Regional Collaboration

The seminar, which featured security experts, diplomats, and counter-terrorism strategists from across South Asia, focused on the urgent need for coordinated efforts to combat terrorism. Among the key recommendations were:

• Enhanced intelligence sharing between South Asian nations.

• Stricter anti-money laundering mechanisms to cut terror financing.

• Joint border surveillance between India and Nepal to prevent infiltration.

Speakers emphasized the need for a uniform approach, warning against "double standards" that allow state-sponsored terrorism to persist. Thapa and others at the conference noted that any leniency or inconsistency in anti-terror actions would only embolden extremist forces.

Operation Sindoor as a Case Study

India’s Operation Sindoor was cited as a bold and strategic response to the threat of cross-border terrorism. The military operation targeted nine terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and has since been upheld by experts as an example of proactive defence.

However, the seminar also cautioned that Nepal remains a weak link in South Asia’s counter-terror framework. Historical cases were revisited to illustrate this vulnerability.

IC-814 Hijack and the Pahalgam Attack: Sobering Precedents

Experts recalled the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC-814, where terrorists boarded the plane from Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport using Nepali documents and concealed weapons. The hijack ended in Kandahar after a tense hostage negotiation and remains one of India’s most painful terror memories.

Similarly, the Pahalgam attack, carried out by LeT operatives, killed 26 civilians, including a Nepali national. These incidents, speakers stressed, are proof that Nepal’s security gaps can be manipulated by anti-India terror cells with ease.

Porous Borders: A Persistent Security Risk

Nepal and India share a visa-free regime and a border that is largely unregulated. While this arrangement supports trade and interpersonal connections, it also leaves India exposed to illicit infiltrations. Terror operatives have often used forged Nepali identification, seamlessly blending in with cross-border traffic before executing attacks in Indian territories.

Thapa noted that such routes are particularly tempting for Pakistan-backed groups trying to evade Indian surveillance and cross over without raising suspicion.

Recommendations for Immediate Action

The seminar concluded with a set of policy recommendations, including:

• Bilateral task forces to jointly monitor suspected infiltration points.

• Security upgrades at major entry-exit points, particularly in and around Kathmandu’s airport.

• Revamping Nepal’s border surveillance infrastructure with advanced biometric systems.

• A multi-national intelligence hub in Kathmandu or Delhi to serve as an anti-terror coordination centre for South Asia.

Implications for India-Nepal Relations

While Nepal has traditionally maintained neutrality in regional disputes, recent geopolitical trends have seen it align more closely with India's counter-terror framework. Thapa’s forthright comments are being viewed as an encouraging development in India-Nepal bilateral security cooperation.

However, the message was also clear: Pakistan’s policies remain a direct threat to regional peace. Experts noted that unless international pressure is intensified, Pakistan would continue to act as a breeding ground for extremist groups.

Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call for South Asia

The warning issued at the Kathmandu seminar is not merely rhetorical—it reflects a growing concern that the Indian subcontinent remains deeply exposed to cross-border terrorism, facilitated by open borders, fraudulent documentation, and state complicity.

The need for South Asia to rise above political hesitations and adopt a coordinated, zero-tolerance approach to terrorism has never been more pressing. With India preparing for future electoral cycles and regional instability rising, the Nepal-India border could become the next flashpoint, unless robust countermeasures are taken immediately.

The message from Kathmandu was resounding and clear: South Asia must unite, not just in words, but in action, to counter the shared threat of terrorism.

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