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Key Points

Nepal’s top official warns of ISI-backed terror groups exploiting the country as a transit route into India. Intelligence reports reveal a surge in fake currency smuggling through Nepal to fund terror activities. The ISI is diversifying infiltration tactics as Indian forces tighten security along traditional conflict zones. Indian agencies are ramping up countermeasures, including a dedicated NIA cell to combat terror financing.

Key Points: Nepal Warns of ISI Terror Push Through Fake Currency Routes

  • Nepal flagged as transit hub for ISI-backed terror groups
  • Fake currency smuggling shifts from Bangladesh to Nepal border
  • ISI diversifies infiltration routes amid LoC crackdowns
  • NIA uncovers terror funding links to counterfeit cash racket
3 min read

Pakistan's ISI using Nepal to push terror and fake currency into India

Nepal official exposes ISI's use of terror groups like LeT and Jaish to infiltrate India via Nepal, flooding fake currency to fund attacks.

"Nepal could become the next front for the ISI to launch its proxy war against India. – Intelligence Bureau"

New Delhi, Aug 13

At a recent seminar on challenges to regional peace and security in South Asia in Kathmandu, Sunil Bahadur Thapa, Principal Political Advisor to the President of Nepal, said that Pakistan-based UN-designated terrorist groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish pose a risk to India.

He also said that these groups could potentially use Nepal as a transit point for their nefarious objectives. Nepal, being used as a transit point, is nothing new for Pakistan’s ISI; numerous incidents clearly show that Nepal has been a favorite transit hub for the ISI.

In recent weeks, intelligence agencies have flagged rising operations by the ISI and its elements in Nepal. Counterfeit Indian currency, which was earlier flooded into India through the Bangladesh border, is now being pushed heavily through the Nepal border.

While on one hand the ISI has been actively carrying out operations in Bangladesh to target India’s northeastern states, on the other it has ramped up action in Nepal as well. Intelligence Bureau assessments suggest that Nepal could become the next front for the ISI to launch its proxy war against India.

While the primary interest of the ISI would always be the Line of Control (LoC) to target Jammu and Kashmir, it has been opening up new fronts. Infiltrations along the LoC are becoming difficult, and Indian agencies are on a state of very high alert. The idea, according to assessments, is to keep Indian forces busy on all possible fronts so that security along the LoC becomes stressed and the ISI can resume activities there. Indian officials, however, maintain that the armed forces are prepared to meet threats from any front, although it would be a challenging and full-time affair.

In addition to trying to strike from the Nepal border, the ISI has also been exploring new infiltration routes through Nepal. In the past, the ISI used this route to send in terrorists from Pakistan; agencies warn that this time around ISI activity could ramp up tenfold.

During a recent probe, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) found a massive racket aimed at increasing circulation of fake Indian currency. Earlier routes ran through Bangladesh into India — the counterfeit notes would land in Malda in West Bengal before being circulated to different parts of the country. Today, the fake currency is being pushed into India in large numbers through the Nepal border and then dispersed across the country.

One of the primary reasons the fake-currency racket is being ramped up is that the ISI seeks to raise funds for terror activities. India’s Operation Sindoor was a major setback for Pakistan-based terror groups; hence, funds are reportedly being raised to rebuild the terror infrastructure lost during the operation that followed the Pahalgam attack.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data also indicates a high number of counterfeit notes detected in India: in 2023, 225,769 pieces of fake currency were detected; in 2024, the number was 222,639. Agencies worry these numbers could rise as Pakistan-based smugglers, along with counterparts in Bangladesh and Nepal, intensify efforts this year. Understanding the gravity of the problem, the NIA has set up a Terror Funding and Fake Currency Cell to exclusively deal with the menace.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priyanka N
Not surprised at all. Pakistan has been doing this for decades through different routes. First Bangladesh, now Nepal. Our intelligence agencies must be given more resources to counter this threat. Jai Hind!
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Aman W
While the threat is real, we must also be careful not to blame Nepal as a whole. It's ISI's doing. We should work WITH Nepal to stop this, not against them. Stronger bilateral cooperation is needed.
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Sarah B
The fake currency problem is affecting common people the most. I run a small shop in UP and we've found 3 fake notes this month alone. RBI needs better detection methods at ground level.
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Vikram M
This is economic terrorism! Fake currency destroys our economy from within. The NIA cell is a good step, but we need faster action. Maybe digital transactions should be encouraged more in border areas?
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Kavitha C
Our soldiers are already stretched thin on multiple fronts. The government must invest more in border technology - drones, sensors, AI monitoring. Human patrols alone can't stop this sophisticated threat.
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Nikhil C
The timing is suspicious - just when India's economy is growing strong. This seems like a deliberate attempt to create instability. We must stay united as a nation against such threats.

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