At a seminar on South Asia’s peace and security challenges in Kathmandu, Sunil Bahadur Thapa, Principal Political Advisor to the President of Nepal, said Pakistan based UN designated terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed are a threat to India. He said these outfits can use Nepal as a transit point for their activities, reported IANS.
Nepal Emerges as ISI’s New Transit Route
Intelligence agencies have recorded numerous incidents where Nepal served as a key hub for ISI’s operations. In recent weeks, agencies have flagged growing ISI activity in Nepal, with counterfeit Indian currency increasingly being pushed into India through the Nepal border instead of the Bangladesh route.
While ISI has long targeted India’s northeast via Bangladesh, it has simultaneously stepped up operations in Nepal. According to Intelligence Bureau assessments, Nepal could become the next major front for ISI’s proxy war against India. With infiltration along the Line of Control (LoC) becoming more difficult due to heightened Indian security, ISI is reportedly opening new routes to keep Indian forces stretched across multiple fronts.
Fake Currency Racket Fuelling Terror Funding
Officials say the ISI has revived and intensified its use of the Nepal border for infiltrating operatives and smuggling counterfeit notes. A recent National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe uncovered a large-scale racket funnelling fake Indian currency from Nepal into India, replacing earlier smuggling routes via Bangladesh.
Once the counterfeit notes enter India, they are distributed nationwide to generate funds for terror operations. Officials believe the renewed push is linked to rebuilding terror infrastructure damaged during India’s Operation Sindoor, which dealt a major blow to Pakistan-backed outfits after the Pahalgam attack.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data underscores the scale of the threat — in 2023, 2,25,769 pieces of counterfeit notes were detected, while 2024 saw 2,22,639 pieces. Authorities fear the numbers could rise this year as ISI-linked smugglers in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal intensify efforts.
To counter this, the NIA has set up a dedicated Terror Funding and Fake Currency Cell to monitor and dismantle these networks.