Exercise Khukuri Responder 25 (ExKR25), held in Pokhara, Nepal, successfully strengthened the contingency preparedness of British Gurkhas Nepal (BGN) Pokhara. The annual exercise is designed to assess readiness against both natural and man-made crises and involves strategic planning based on the fact Nepal is in a high seismic risk area of the world. ExKR25 was led by Captain Santosh Gurung, with strong support from Officers and Staff from both Kathmandu and Pokhara.
The exercise also saw collaboration with the Nepal Ministry of Home Affairs, Nepali Army, British Embassy Kathmandu, Joint Forces Headquarters UK, and US Embassy. This multi-agency involvement enriched understanding of Nepal’s disaster response architecture and fostered greater cooperation between stakeholders. ExKR25 focused on BGN’s preparedness to sustain core functions independently of broader international relief efforts.
Key participants included BGN Pokhara Officers and Staff, supported by HQ BGN for assurance and oversight. The Brigade of Gurkhas maintains a significant footprint in Nepal, with HQ BGN in Kathmandu, bases in Pokhara and Dharan, and numerous Area Welfare Centres providing essential services across the country.
Nepal remains vulnerable to major earthquakes, and future quakes of magnitude 8+ are plausible without warning, threatening infrastructure and causing potentially casualties. In such scenarios, urban centres like Kathmandu and Pokhara, may experience major disruptions. While the Government of Nepal has made notable resilience efforts, a large-scale event could exceed national response capabilities.
