KATHMANDU: Nepal and India have agreed to use an internationally accepted positioning system on Nepal-India border pillars.

The third meeting of Nepal–India Boundary Working Group (BWG), which concluded in Kathmandu on Saturday, made a decision to this effect, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The statement said the Nepal–India Boundary Global Navigation Satellite System (NIB GNSS) would be used for Nepal–India boundary pillars.

Krishna Raj BC, Director General of the Survey Department, had led the Nepali delegation during the three-day meeting while the Indian delegation was led by Swarna Subba Rao, Surveyor General of India.

Before the BWG meeting, the fourth meeting of Survey Officials’ Committee (SOC) was held in Kathmandu from 20 to 22 June.

"The BWG meeting reviewed reports submitted before it by the SOC meetings and Joint Field Survey Teams (FST), and appreciated the progress made on the ongoing boundary works carried out at Nepal–India border," the statement read, "The meeting finalised the target and schedule for the next field season. It was decided that the completion of the backlogged tasks from previous field seasons will be given a high priority."

"Both the delegations reaffirmed the importance of effective boundary management. In this context, they emphasised the importance of making local authorities and people living along the border aware of the field works being conducted by joint field teams."

Meanwhile, the neighbours decided that the SOC would next meet in September 2016 and the BWG in August 2017, both in India.