The Kaligandaki River basin is one of the oldest salt and grain trading routes in Nepal's Western Himalayan region, promoting the mutual interests of Tibetans and Nepali people. This trading route connected people from the South Asian plain to the Tibetan plateau. The trading route was connected to the ancient Silk Road, connecting Asia and Europe. This route was popular because it was the easiest accessible for crossing the Himalayas through the Kaligandiki River, which passes through the deepest gorge of Mt Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, and Annapurna. People followed the bank of the Kaligandaki River, mostly adult males with salt from the North and grain from the south. The transhumance mode of transportation was practiced. The paper aims to present how historical patterns of social and economic relationships continue in the era of the global market economy. The field study area is the Upper Mustang, Nepal, where an institutionalized pattern of batter exchange was practiced among the Loba, Baragaule, Pachgaule, Dopo, Thankali and Hill multi- ethnic/caste groups. The primary data were collected based on archival study and interviews. The interviews were conducted with the people who participated in the batter trade system. Qualitative information were coded and analyzed thematically. The major finding reveals that trade item of the community is part of the community resilience, which can be keystone resources for the people's livelihood. The exclusion and inclusion criteria in the trade were developed to maintain harmony among the different ethnic groups. The geographical location/settlement, language, and cultural practices were the resources used to participate in the trade. The trade was also a meeting point for Indo-Gangatic and Tibetan civilizations. The conclusion is to cope with environmental constraints, inclusion and exclusion in trade were practiced to reduce the vulnerability of the weaker people of Upper Mustang.