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Gurkha pay is governed by the Tripartite Agreement, signed in 1947 between the British, Indian and Nepalese governments. This aimed to ensure that employment of Gurkhas within both the British Army and the then newly-independent Indian Army were broadly similar.
All Gurkhas, wherever they serve, are paid at Indian Army rates, supplemented by an additional allowance, called the "Gurkha Addition", which takes account of the cost of living in any given country.
While this allowance has always ensured that Gurkhas serving in the United Kingdom received a take-home pay package similar to that of a British soldier, anomalies have grown up over the years between the rates of allowance paid in other parts of the world.
These anomalies have now been rationalised so that the level of take-home pay for all Gurkhas, where they serve, will be similar to that of British soldiers, through the payment of a new allowance to be called the "Universal Addition".
Other changes to the terms and conditions of service include:
A reduction from six months to five months in the period of "long leave" which Gurkhas are entitled to take in Nepal every three years. This reflects the greatly improved internal communications infrastructure in Nepal while still ensuring that individual Gurkha remain in touch with their home environment.
Resettlement training for ex-Gurkhas in the United Kingdom before repatriation to Nepal. Re-training in UK allows much greater scope for training than is possible in Nepal.
For Gurkha families living in Britain, the option of sending their children to British schools, or of taking advantage of a new Gurkha Education Allowance to enable them to enjoy the benefits of continuity of education within the Nepali system.
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