Smuggling between Nepal and India has become a significant issue, with illegal trade thriving across the shared 1,751-kilometer border. Despite efforts to strengthen security and prevent smuggling, illegal goods continue to flow across this largely open border. While a range of products is smuggled, gold stands out as the most valuable and frequently trafficked item. Beyond gold, drugs, human trafficking, and even everyday essentials also make their way into India illegally from Nepal.
The Geography of Smuggling: Why Nepal is a Major Route
India shares borders with several countries, but the smuggling trade through Nepal has become a major concern. This is largely due to the open and relatively unmonitored border that makes crossing easy. Nepal and India have a longstanding agreement allowing free movement of people, which smugglers take full advantage of to transport illegal goods. Additionally, the border runs through dense forests and rivers, making it difficult for security forces to monitor every inch.
Among the states that share a border with Nepal, Uttar Pradesh (UP) is the most affected by smuggling activities. UP’s border with Nepal extends over 651 kilometers, making it the prime target for smugglers. The challenging terrain along this border also provides cover for illegal activities, despite the government’s efforts to secure the region. Approximately 60,000 security personnel are deployed to patrol the border, yet the smuggling business continues to thrive.
Gold: The Most Smuggled Item from Nepal
Gold smuggling is the most significant illegal trade between Nepal and India. The Observer Research Foundation reports that about 10 tonnes of gold are smuggled annually through this border. Smugglers bring gold into Nepal and then transport it across the border into India, where they can sell it at a much higher price due to import duties and taxes on gold in India. The lucrative profit margins make gold smuggling one of the most appealing illegal trades in the region.
Human Trafficking: A Dark Reality
Following gold, human trafficking is another major illegal activity linked to the Nepal-India border. Nepal has become one of the largest sources of human trafficking, with an estimated 30,000 people trafficked into India every year. This includes both men and women, who are trafficked for forced labor, prostitution, and other exploitative purposes. Human trafficking not only devastates lives but also poses a serious challenge for law enforcement agencies.
The Growing Drug Trade
Nepal’s border with India has also become a major route for drug trafficking. Narcotics such as cannabis, opium, and other intoxicating substances are smuggled through Nepal into India. The open border of the Maharajganj district in Uttar Pradesh, which stretches for 84 kilometers, has become a hub for drug smuggling. In the first seven months of this year alone, security forces seized drugs worth Rs 692 crore. Despite these efforts, the illegal drug trade continues to expand, with smugglers exploiting gaps in security.
Essential Items: A Lesser-Known Side of Smuggling
Apart from high-value items like gold and drugs, everyday essential items are also smuggled from Nepal into India. Goods such as toothpaste, shampoo, and other personal care products are smuggled across the border. Depending on market conditions in India, the list of smuggled goods can change. For instance, when the price of rice rises in India, smuggling of rice from Nepal increases. Similarly, commodities like tomatoes, petrol, and diesel are also trafficked during times of high demand.
Why Nepal is a Preferred Route for Smugglers
Despite sharing borders with several countries, smuggling into India predominantly occurs through Nepal. The ease of movement between the two countries, combined with minimal questioning at the border, makes this route ideal for smugglers. Goods can be moved quickly and with little scrutiny, making it a preferred option for those looking to engage in illegal trade.
Moreover, the proximity of Nepal to major Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal further facilitates smuggling. Many of the border areas are rural and less developed, making it difficult for authorities to enforce strict border controls. Even with thousands of security personnel stationed along the border and additional measures such as surveillance pillars and lights, the geography and vastness of the border make it nearly impossible to monitor every crossing.
Government Efforts to Curb Smuggling
The Indian government has taken steps to curb smuggling by deploying security forces and installing surveillance equipment along the Nepal-India border. Over 50,000 pillars and 1.5 lakh lights have been installed along the border to improve visibility and monitoring. Despite these efforts, smugglers continue to find ways to transport goods illegally, especially in the more remote areas of the border.
During the festive season and other high-demand periods, the government increases the deployment of security personnel to control smuggling activities. However, the sheer scale of the smuggling operations, combined with the vast and challenging terrain, makes it difficult to fully eliminate the issue.
Smuggling between Nepal and India remains a significant challenge, with illegal goods flowing across the border and impacting India’s economy and security.
