At Nepal-India Think Tank Forum, experts urge closer security cooperation, youth engagement

KATHMANDU: Senior experts from leading Indian and Nepali think tanks on Tuesday urged closer security cooperation between Nepal and India. They also called for greater youth engagement at the Nepal‑India Think Tank Forum on Regional Resilience: Strengthening Nepal‑India Security Cooperation, hosted by Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE).

The day‑long forum brought together defence and policy specialists to discuss traditional and non‑traditional security challenges along the India–Nepal border and to explore avenues for stronger bilateral collaboration. Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh (Retd.), Director General of the United Service Institution of India, said Nepali courage and valour have long contributed to Indian military strength and national security. He also highlighted the Agniveer recruitment scheme, noting that Nepali citizens are eligible on a par with Indians and describing the programme as an opportunity to invest in human capital through disciplined and motivated youth.

Ambassador Pankaj Saran, former National Security Advisor of India, said he was impressed by interactions with Nepali youth and urged increased engagement between young people from both countries to shape the future of bilateral ties. Alok Bansal, Executive Vice‑President of India Foundation, warned that cross‑border terrorism remains a major concern for India and has significant implications for Nepal.

Speakers emphasised the porous nature of the shared border, which fosters deep trade, cultural and people‑to‑people ties while also creating security vulnerabilities. Dr Gaurav Saini, co‑founder of the Council for Strategic and Defence Research, pointed to transnational threats such as human trafficking, narcotics smuggling and counterfeit currency, citing a January 2026 seizure of counterfeit Nepali currency by the Bihar Police as an example.

Academic voices at the forum called for stronger institutional links. Professor Sangeeta Thapliyal of Jawaharlal Nehru University said think tanks and academic centres play a vital role in India–Nepal relations and urged both governments to promote research collaboration. Sumitra Karki, Director of NIICE, echoed that view and called for expanded study programmes and knowledge exchange to deepen mutual understanding.

Domestic political dynamics and generational change were also discussed. Maj Gen Binoj Basnyat (Retd.), a political and security analyst, described recent Gen-Z protests in Nepal as unsurprising in their emergence but surprising in their course. He cautioned that elections alone may not deliver strategic stability without generational renewal and institutional reform, and called for inclusive dialogue in the post‑election period.

Economic and connectivity themes featured in the discussions. Anurag Acharya of Policy Exchange India highlighted physical, trade and digital connectivity as drivers of improved bilateral ties and pointed to emerging opportunities in technology integration, religious and cultural tourism, and sport. Bibek Dhoj Thapa, NIICE programme coordinator, urged framing India as a strategic partner and recommended initiatives such as India–Nepal Youth Climate Fellowships and expanded soft‑power engagement to address shared challenges, including water management and climate change.

The forum concluded with an interactive question‑and‑answer session in which participants discussed defence cooperation, regional stability and the prospects for continued policy coordination. Speakers collectively stressed the need for convergence on security interests and continuity of cooperation to address both traditional and non‑traditional threats facing the two countries.