Days after Nepal tightened rules imposing customs duty on cross-border travellers from India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) took note of the development and said the customs duty is the outcome of a “pre-existing provision” and that it will not affect families carrying “household goods”.

The statement from MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal came after protests began in border towns of Nepal about the customs duty that travellers have found to be impractical. In mid-April, the new government of Nepal, led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah, implemented an existing rule that makes it mandatory for travellers carrying goods worth more than one hundred Nepali rupee (NPR) to pay customs duty on the goods.