The India–Nepal border is an

open Open or OPEN may refer to: Music * Open (band), Australian pop/rock band * The Open (band), English indie rock band * ''Open'' (Blues Image album), 1969 * ''Open'' (Gotthard album), 1999 * ''Open'' (Cowboy Junkies album), 2001 * ''Open'' (Y ...

international border Borders are usually defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders ...

running between

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is ma ...

and the

Republic of India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. The long border includes the Himalayan territories as well as

Indo-Gangetic Plain The Indo-Gangetic Plain, also known as the North Indian River Plain, is a fertile plain encompassing northern regions of the Indian subcontinent, including most of northern and eastern India, around half of Pakistan, virtually all of Bangla ...

. The current border was delimited after the Sugauli treaty of 1816 between Nepal and the

British Raj The British Raj (; from Hindi language, Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Q ...

. Following Indian independence, the current border was recognised as the border between the

Kingdom of Nepal The Kingdom of Nepal ( ne, नेपाल अधिराज्य), also known as the Gorkha Empire ( ne, गोरखा अधिराज्य) or Asal Hindustan ( ne, असल हिन्दुस्तान)(), was a Hindu kin ...

and the

Dominion of India The Dominion of India, officially the Union of India,* Quote: “The first collective use (of the word "dominion") occurred at the Colonial Conference (April to May 1907) when the title was conferred upon Canada and Australia. New Zealand and N ...

Description

The border starts in the west at the western

tripoint A tripoint, trijunction, triple point, or tri-border area is a geographical point at which the boundaries of three countries or subnational entities meet. There are 175 international tripoints as of 2020. Nearly half are situated in rivers, l ...

with China near the

Tinkar Pass Tinkar is a village in the Byans Rural Municipality of Darchula District in the Sudurpashchim province of Nepal. It is named after the Tinkar Khola river, a tributary of the Mahakali River, which it joins near the village of Chhangru. At the ...

. It then proceeds to the south-west through the

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over ...

, the

Sivalik Hills The Sivalik Hills, also known as the Shivalik Hills and Churia Hills, are a mountain range of the outer Himalayas that stretches over about from the Indus River eastwards close to the Brahmaputra River, spanning the northern parts of the Indian ...

and then the Gangetic plain, initially overland and then utilising the Mahakali river or Sharda River. Just east of

Majhola Majhola is a town and a nagar panchayat in Pilibhit district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. This town is located 25 km away from district headquarters on state highway 29 connecting Pilibhit to Tanakpur town in Uttaranchal. It is w ...

it turns to the south-east and proceeds in that direction overland, occasionally utilising various rivers and hill crests. North-west of Islampur the border turns to the north-east and proceeds overland to the eastern Chinese tripoint.

History

The border region has historically existed at the edge of various Indian and Nepali kingdoms. It took its modern shape during the period of

British rule in India The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...

which began in the 17th century. During the late 18th century the Nepali kingdom launched an expansion drive, bringing them into conflict with the British and resulting in the

Anglo-Nepalese War The Anglo-Nepalese War (1 November 1814 – 4 March 1816), also known as the Gorkha War, was fought between the Gorkhali army of the Kingdom of Nepal (present-day Nepal) and the British forces of the East India Company (EIC, present-day Ind ...

(1814–16). Nepal was defeated, and by the Treaty of Sugauli it was forced to cede large areas of land to Britain, effectively creating the modern India-Nepal boundary. Finding the

Terai , image =Terai nepal.jpg , image_size = , image_alt = , caption =Aerial view of Terai plains near Biratnagar, Nepal , map = , map_size = , map_alt = , map_caption = , biogeographic_realm = Indomalayan realm , global200 = Terai-Duar savanna ...

region difficult to manage, the British returned parts of it to Nepal in 1816. India gained independence in 1947, and three years later it signed a friendship treaty with Nepal, by which both countries agreed to respect the territorial integrity of the other. Since then relations have largely been cordial, though a number of border disputes remain. There have also been occasional blockades on the border at times of tension, for example in 1987 and

2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the April ...

. Communities living in India and Nepal close to the Indo-Nepal border have usually shared old, customary ties of kinship and resource access with communities across the border, such as along the western part of the Indo-Nepal border, in the Mahakali valley.

Border disputes

There are two existing territorial disputes between India and Nepal, over the Kalapani territory, a area at the India–Nepal–China trijunction in North West Nepal, and Susta, a – area in Southern Nepal.

Border crossings

There are several major border crossings that the Indian Integrated Check Posts (ICP) use for processing cargo customs and immigration entry for citizens of third countries. These are, from west to east: # Banbasa in

Champawat district Champawat district is a district of Uttarakhand state in northern India. The town of Champawat is the administrative headquarters. The district of Champawat constituted in the year 1997. The district is divided into five tehsils: Barakot, L ...

, Uttarakhand, India -

Kanchanpur District Kanchanpur District ( ne, कञ्चनपुर जिल्ला ), a part of Sudurpashchim Province in the Terai plain, is one of seventy seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Bhimdatta as its district headquarters, covers an area ...

Sudurpashchim Province Sudurpashchim Province ( ne, सुदूरपश्चिम प्रदेश, ''Sudurpashchim Province'') (''Far-West Province'') is one of the seven provinces established by the new constitution of Nepal which was adopted on 20 September ...

, Nepal #

Rupaidiha Rupaidiha is a small Town in Bahraich district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, near the India–Nepal border across from Nepalgunj. English medium schools like Assembly of God Church School, Promise Land Public School, Seemant Inter Col ...

in Bahraich district, Uttar Pradesh - Nepalganj in

Banke District Banke District ( ne, बाँके जिल्ला , a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the 77 districts of Nepal. The district, located in midwestern Nepal with Nepalganj as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a popula ...

, Nepal # Sonauli in

Maharajganj district Maharajganj district is one of the 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India, and the town of Maharajganj is the district headquarters. District is a part Gorakhpur division. It is located in Terai regions of Himalayas, bordering Ne ...

, Uttar Pradesh, India - Belahia, Siddharthanagar in

Rupandehi District Rupandehi District ( ne, रुपन्देही जिल्ला; ), a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal and covers an area of . The district headquarter is Bhairahawa. As per the national census 2011, ...

, Nepal # Raxaul in East Champaran district, Bihar, India -

Birgunj Birgunj ( ne, वीरगञ्ज) is a metropolitan city in Parsa District in Madhesh Province of southern Nepal. It lies south of the capital Kathmandu, attached in the north to Raxaul in the border of the Indian state of Bihar. As an ent ...

, Nepal (also known as the 'Gateway of Nepal') # Bhitthamore in

Sitamarhi district Sitamarhi is one of the districts in the Mithila region of the Indian state of Bihar, India. Dumra is the administrative headquarters of this district. The district is a part of the Tirhut Division and is located along the border of Nepal. His ...

, Bihar, India - Malibara, Jaleshwar in Mahottari District, Nepal #

Jogbani Jogbani is a town, a notified area in Araria District of Bihar state, India. It lies on the Indo-Nepal border with Morang District, Koshi Zone and is a gateway to Biratnagar city. There is a customs checkpoint for goods at the border. India ...

Araria district Araria district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state, India. Araria district is a part of Purnia division. The district occupies an area of . Araria town is the administrative headquarters of this district. Etymology During the B ...

, Bihar, India -

Biratnagar Biratnagar () is a metropolitan city in Nepal, which serves as the capital of Province No. 1. With a population of 242,548 as per the 2011 census, it is the largest city in the province and also the headquarters of Morang district. As per the ...

, Nepal #

Panitanki Panitanki is a town in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India. It is located on the India- Nepal border; a border crossing to Kakarbhitta in Nepal is located here. Panitanki is around 84 km from the district headquarters, Darjeelin ...

Darjeeling district Darjeeling District is the northernmost district of the state of West Bengal in eastern India in the foothills of the Himalayas. The district is famous for its hill station and Darjeeling tea. Darjeeling is the district headquarters. Kurseo ...

, West Bengal, India -

Kakarbhitta Kakarbhitta (often written and pronounced Kakadbhitta or Kakarvitta) is a neighbourhood in Mechinagar Municipality in Jhapa District of Province No. 1, southeastern Nepal. Demographics At the time of the 1991 Nepal census, Mechinagar had a pop ...

, Nepal Since there are no fences along the border there are several smaller official and unofficial border crossings. Smaller official border crossings are known as Chhoti Bhansar (Minor Customs) in the

Nepali language Nepali (; , ) is an Indo-Aryan language native to the Himalayas region of South Asia. It is the official, and most widely spoken, language of Nepal, where it also serves as a '' lingua franca''. Nepali has official status in the Indian st ...

. These are, from west to east (by Indian state): Uttarakhand * Jhulaghat in

Pithoragarh district Pithoragarh district is the easternmost district in the state of Uttarakhand. It is located in the Himalayas and has an area of and a population of 483,439 (as of 2011). The city of Pithoragarh, located in Saur Valley, is its headquarters. T ...

Mahakali Mahakali () is the Hindu goddess of time and death in the goddess-centric tradition of Shaktism. Similar to Kali, Mahakali is a fierce goddess associated with universal power, time, life, death, and both rebirth and liberation. She is the co ...

Baitadi District Baitadi District ( ne, बैतडी जिल्ला ), historical name “Bairath” (बैराथ), a part of Sudurpashchim Province, is one of the 77 districts of Nepal. It is a Hill district. Baitadi, with Dasharathchand as its hea ...

, Nepal

Uttar Pradesh *

Gauriphanta Gauriphanta is a village in on the bank of River Mohana in Northe of Lakhimpur Kheri district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, located on the border with Nepal across from the city Dhangadhi. Transport Gauriphanta is on State Highway N ...

Lakhimpur Kheri district Lakhimpur Kheri district is the largest district in Uttar Pradesh, India, on the border with Nepal. Its administrative capital is the city of Lakhimpur. Lakhimpur Kheri district is a part of Lucknow division, with a total area of . The nation ...

Dhangadi Dhangadhi ( ne, धनगढी ) is a sub-metropolitan city and the district headquarters of Kailali District in Sudurpashchim Province of Nepal.Dhangadhi is also the temporary capital of Sudurpashchim Province. It shares a border with Uttar ...

, Nepal * Murtiha in Lakhimpur Kheri district - Gulariya, Bardiya, Nepal * Tal Baghaura in

Shravasti district Shravasti district is one of the districts of the Uttar Pradesh state of India, with Bhinga town as its district headquarters. Shravasti district is a part of Devipatan Division. According to Government of India, it is among the 121 minority ...

- Laxmanpur, Nepal * Tulsipur in

Balrampur district Balrampur district is one of the district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and is a part of Devipatan division as well as the historic Awadh regions. It has been cut from the adjacent district Gonda in 1997. Located on the banks of the Wes ...

- Koilabas, Nepal * Barhani Bazar in Siddharthnagar district - Krishnanagar, Nepal Bihar * Bhikhna Thori in West Champaran district - Thori in

Parsa District Parsa District ( ne, पर्सा जिल्ला), a part of Madhesh Province in Terai plain, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Birgunj as its district headquarters, covers an area of and has a populat ...

, Nepal * Bhitthamore in

, Bihar -

Jaleshwor Jaleshwar ( ne, जलेश्वर) is a municipality in Janakpur Zone, Nepal, and the headquarters of Mahottari District of Madhesh Province in Nepal. It is located in the Terai, on the border with India at Bhitthamore, Bihar, and has a Cu ...

Mahottari District Mahottari District ( ne, महोत्तरी जिल्ला,), a part of Madhesh Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Jaleshwar as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a populati ...

, Nepal * Pipraun in

Madhubani district Madhubani district is one of the thirty-eight List of districts of Bihar, districts of Bihar, India, and is a part of Darbhanga division. Its administrative headquarters are located in Madhubani, India, Madhubani. The district has an area of ...

- Jatahi- Nagarain in

Dhanusa District Dhanusha District, (; ), a part of Madhesh Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. It is situated in the Outer Terai. The district, with Janakpurdham as its district headquarter, covers an area of and has a population (2021 ...

, Nepal * Bhimnagar in

Supaul district Supaul district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar, India. The town Supaul is the district's administrative headquarters. The district, which was split from the former Saharsa district on 14 March 1991, occupies . History Supaul, ...

- Bhantabari- Haripur in

Sunsari District , nickname = , native_name_lang = , image_skyline = , image_size = , image_alt = , image_caption = Night view of Dharan, Itahari & Tarahara :: Barahakshetra Temple: BPKIHS, Dharan :Dharan Clock Tower , image_map = Sunsari district ...

, Nepal (via Kosi barrage) * Amgachhi in

- Rangeli in

Morang District Morang District ( ne, मोरङ जिल्ला ) is located in Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal. It is an Outer Terai district. It borders with Bihar, India to the South, Jhapa to the East, Dhankuta and Panchthar to the North, and S ...

, Nepal * Baria (Bairia bazar) in Kishanganj district - Gauriganj in

Jhapa District Jhapa ( ne, झापा जिल्ला; ) is a district of Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal named after a Rajbanshi word "Jhapa" meaning "to cover" (verb). The latest official data, the 2021 Nepal Census, puts the total population of the ...

, Nepal * Bairgania in

Gaur The gaur (''Bos gaurus''; ), also known as the Indian bison, is a bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, and has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986. The global population was estimated at a maximum of 21,000 ...

Rautahat District Rautahat District ( ne, रौतहट जिल्ला), a part of Madhesh Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district headquarter is Gaur, including municipalities like Garuda, Chandrapur, Paroha, covers an area o ...

, Nepal *

Sonbarsa Sonbarsa is a village development committee in Parsa District in the Narayani Zone of southern Nepal. Demographics At the time of the 2011 Nepal census Nepal conducted a widespread national census in 2011 by the Nepal Central Bureau of St ...

- Malangwa in Sarlahi District, Nepal * Jainagar in

Inarwa Phulbariya Inarwa Phulbariya is a village in Khadak Municipality (which is in ward number 10) in Saptari District in the Sagarmatha Zone of South-Eastern Nepal. It is the former Village Development Committee of Nepal. At the time of the 2011 Nepal census ...

Saptari District Saptari ( ne, सप्तरी जिल्ला}), a part of Madhesh Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. Its district headquarter is Rajbiraj. Saptari is an Outer Terai district. This district covers an area of and h ...

, Nepal * Laukaha in

- Thadi in Bhagwanpur near

Lahan Lahan (लहान) is a city and municipality with 24 wards' in Siraha District in the Madhesh Province south-eastern Nepal. It is connected with Mahendra Highway, which is also called the east–west highway. It is located nearly 261 km east ...

Mulcipality in

Siraha District Siraha District ( ne, सिराहा जिल्ला; ), a district in Madhesh Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. It is situated in the Terai belt of Nepal. The district, with Siraha as its district headquarters, c ...

. West Bengal *

Mirik Mirik is a small town and a Notified Area of Darjeeling district in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of the Mirik subdivision. The name ''Mirik'' comes from the Lepcha words ''Mir-Yok'' meaning "place burnt by fire". H ...

Pashupatinagar, Ilam Pashupatinagar is a neighborhood in Suryodaya Municipality of Ilam District of Province No. 1 in Nepal. Previously it was a separate Village Development Committee in Ilam District in the Province No. 1 of Nepal. Pashupatinagar was Incorporated w ...

, Nepal

Cross-border railway lines

8 railway lines between India and Nepal either exist or they are under construction or planning as follows (listed east to west):How poor rail connectivity is acting as a hindrance to India's Act East policy
Economic Times, 20 October 2020. # Babaganj-Nepalganj line - complete and operational: # Barhani-Kathmandu line - under planning: # Barhani-Kapilvastu line - under planning: # Nautanwa-Bhairwa line - under planning: # Raxaul-Kathmandu line - under planning: # Jaynagar-Bardibas railway line - mostly complete, except final and third phase (as of April 2022): 52 km out of total 68 km complete as of April 2022 while remaining is awaiting land acquisition. # Jogbanu-Biratnagar railway line - mostly complete, except 8 km long under construction section (as of April 2022): total 18.6 km. # Kakarbhitta-New Jalpaiguri railway line - under planning:

Border security

The India–Nepal border is relatively peaceful. Indian and Nepali nationals do not need passports or visas to enter each other's countries, and tens of thousands of people cross the border every day for tourism and commerce. The Indian side of the border is regulated by Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) along with local police. The Nepali side of the border is regulated by the Armed Police Force (APF) along with the local branch of Nepal Police. Often SSB (India) and APF (Nepal) perform joint patrols on the border. On a local level, Indian and Nepali district officials meet regularly to discuss security challenges and other issues on their respective border portions. Such meetings are usually attended by District Magistrates, local SSB representatives, customs chiefs from India including the Chief District Officer (CDO), local APF, Police and custom chiefs from Nepal.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:India-Nepal border Borders of India Borders of Nepal International borders