Kathmandu, November 2
A welfare association of former Indian Army soldiers has staged a protest in Kathmandu, demanding that Gurkha recruitment into the Indian Army be resumed.
The All Nepal Indian Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association held the demonstration today at Maitighar in Kathmandu.
Gurkha recruitment has remained suspended since the Indian government introduced the Agnipath scheme.
Earlier, on August 12, 2026, former Gurkha soldiers and young people held a protest in Pokhara demanding that recruitment be reopened. Ex-Gurkha soldiers also urged Indian Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth to take the initiative to resume recruitment when he visited Nepal on August 19.
However, no concrete agreement on reopening recruitment was reached even during the Indian Army chief’s visit. The protesters also demanded reliable employment for unemployed Nepali youth.
They further called for the scrapping of a secretary-level decision and for arrangements to renew the registration of organisations of former Gurkha soldiers.
