Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: A bilateral meeting between customs officials from Nepal and India, aimed at simplifying cross-border trade, and curbing illicit trade and revenue leakage, concluded in Kathmandu on Friday.
During the two-day 21st Director General Level Talks on Customs Cooperation, Nepal and India have agreed to work together to streamline customs procedures by moving towards a paperless system, reduce logistics costs and strengthen efforts to control unauthorised trade, according to the Department of Customs (DoC).
DoC Director General Mahesh Bhattarai said India has agreed to recognise Certificates of Origin issued through Nepal National Single Window system.
Likewise, the two sides have agreed to exchange advance information on imports and exports, move forward with a mutual customs cooperation agreement and promote trade through improved physical infrastructure in border areas. They have also agreed to expand quarantine facilities along the Nepal–India border and extend the Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS)—currently used for third-country trade via Indian railways—to road-based cargo.
Nepal and India also agreed to expedite the completion and operation of integrated check posts (ICPs) under construction at Bhairahawa and Chandani Dodhara, and to operationalise rail cargo services at Biratnagar.
The two-day talks began on Thursday. Bhattarai led the Nepali delegation, while the Indian side was headed by Abhay Kumar Srivastava, Director General of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.
