Nepal and India launch joint task force to digitise cross-border vehicle permits
Nepal and India have created a joint task force to digitalise permits for private and non-regular passenger vehicles crossing their border.
At the fourth meeting of the Nepal-India Cross Border Transport Facilitation Joint Working Group, officials pledged to digitise cross-border vehicle permits for private and non-regular passenger cars and buses. A joint task force will coordinate the creation of an online permit system, with India rolling out a Cross Border Vehicle Permit System and Nepal preparing a digital portal. The initiative also includes exploring FASTag integration, revising fee structures and establishing a Joint Technical Committee to draft new protocols and amend the 2014 Motor Vehicle Agreement.
Interim measures set a 45-day processing window for manual applications, and both sides will exchange data on authorised operators by the end of September 2026. Additional bus routes such as Kathmandu-Sunauli-Gorakhpur-Jaipur were approved, while other proposed routes await further consultation.
Why it matters
Digital permits will cut bureaucracy, lower costs and speed travel for vehicles moving between Nepal and India.
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