Nepal-India Sign Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty on Criminal Matters

Nepal has formally presented the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters agreement with India in its House of Representatives , marking a major step in strengthening cross-border judicial and law enforcement cooperation.

The agreement, signed on February 17, 2026 in Kathmandu after years of negotiations , was tabled by Law Minister Sovita Gautam , signalling parliamentary acknowledgment of the bilateral legal framework.

The pact was signed on behalf of Nepal by Joint Secretary Binod Kumar Bhattarai , while the Indian side was represented by Ambassador Naveen Srivastava , in the presence of officials from both governments and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to officials, the agreement establishes a structured system for exchange of evidence, legal assistance, and coordination in investigation, prosecution, and judicial proceedings , significantly improving cooperation in cross-border criminal cases.

It is designed to tackle a wide range of offences including organised crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, cybercrime, financial fraud, and terrorism-related activities , while also enabling faster asset recovery and prosecution of offenders .

The framework is also expected to strengthen anti-money laundering and counter-terror financing mechanisms , supporting Nepal’s broader financial governance reforms.

Experts note that the agreement aligns with Nepal’s efforts to meet global compliance standards and could play a key role in helping the country exit the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list , which tracks jurisdictions with weaknesses in financial oversight.

Officials also highlighted that the pact modernises outdated cooperation mechanisms and creates a legally binding structure for faster, more effective justice delivery between the two neighbouring countries.