The Indian government has expanded the electronic cargo tracking system (ECTS) for Nepal-bound transit cargo, enabling movement through additional Indian ports and a new rail-road route. A notification issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) makes the amendment to the 2019 ECTS regulations effective immediately.
Under the revised system, transhipment cargo can now move from Kolkata, Haldia and Visakhapatnam ports to Birgunj by rail, from Batnaha to Biratnagar via a rail-road combination, and from Jogbani to Biratnagar by road. Biratnagar will also receive direct rail cargo from India.
Experts say the expansion will simplify procedures, reduce transit time, enhance cargo security and ease congestion at traditional corridors. Logistics specialist Rajan Sharma noted that the move will particularly benefit businesses in Nepal’s eastern region by enabling faster and safer imports.
The decision aligns with India’s commitments under the India-Nepal Transit Treaty and the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement. Nepal began using ECTS in 2019, supported by the Asian Development Bank, as an effective mechanism to curb smuggling and transit fraud.
Despite the progress, experts point out that Nepal still lacks a comprehensive pre-information system for cargo contents—an agreed measure that remains pending implementation.