India and Nepal have agreed to address each-other’s security concerns and curb illegal activities across the open border the two countries share.

At the annual Home Secretary level talks which held in Kathmandu yesterday, both sides agreed to increase the forces and potential of the Sashatra Seema Bal and the Nepal Armed Police and give training to the security and local administration.

The two sides agreed to assist and inform each other to curb human trafficking, smuggling of Indian fake currency ,combating terrorism, smuggling of small arms and drugs.

Home Secretary R. K Singh led the sixteen member Indian delegation while his counterpart Navin Kumar Ghimire led an eighteen member Nepali delegation to the talks that stretched late into the evening.

India also agreed to open the bridge at Sarada Barrage in western Nepal which connects Uttarkhand with Nepal for seven hours daily from the existing two hours at the Nepal's request. They also agreed to simplify the procedure for disbursal of pension to retired gorkha miltary personnel.

It was also agreed that senior administration and security officials would be in constant touch and share information and hold regular meetings of the Border district Coordination Committee comprising officials from both sides in order to look into the problems of people residing in border areas.

Mr. Singh assured India’s commitment to support and assist Nepal. According to statement released by Nepal’s Home Ministry, the meeting also reviewed the agreement reached during the last Home Secretary level talks held in New Delhi in January last year. Mr Singh also called on Nepal ‘s Home Minister Madhav Prasad Ghimire.