IOR/L/PS/12/2196

Correspondence regarding requests for arms, ammunition and related materials and machinery from the Government of Nepal. The following topics are discussed:

• the Government of Nepal's wish to construct a cartridge (ammunition) factory, and related requests for technical advice from the Woolwich Arsenal;
• the capacity of the Government of India ammunition factory at Kirkee [Khadki] to supply Nepalese requests for ammunition;
• the relationship between the Government of India and the Government of Nepal, and concerns over the ability of Nepal to covertly manufacture arms and ammunition;
• requests for arms and ammunition from a number of British and European companies, including Keymer, Son & Company, Vickers-Armstrongs Limited, the Soley Armament Company, Tavaro, and W J Jeffrey & Company;
• the grant of export licences, and arrangements for shipping, for materials ordered for Nepal;
• British concerns over the Government of Nepal's dealings with an agent based in Ireland, named Rameshwarlal Bazaj;
• the establishment of cartridge and explosives factories in Nepal;
• Nepalese military assistance to the Allies during the Second World War (1939-1945).

The principal correspondents are: the India Office Political and Military Departments; the War Office; the Government of India Foreign and Political Department; HM Minister to Nepal (Clendon Turberville Daukes, later Frederick Marshman Bailey), and the Government of Nepal. The file also contains correspondence from Keymer, Son & Co, who acted as agents in London for the Government of Nepal, and a small amount of correspondence with Vickers-Armstrongs Limited, regarding orders for modified Vickers-Berthier machine guns. A small number of export licence applications and certificates are found throughout the file, accompanied by materials manifests.

The file includes dividers which give lists of correspondence references contained in the file by year. These are found at the end of the correspondence (folios 2-3).