diff --git a/dvc/repo/open_repo.py b/dvc/repo/open_repo.py
index 25ddf877a7..8ea58b6fb5 100644
--- a/dvc/repo/open_repo.py
+++ b/dvc/repo/open_repo.py
@@ -212,11 +212,22 @@ def _clone_default_branch(url, rev):
 
 
 def _pull(git: "Git", unshallow: bool = False):
+    from scmrepo.exceptions import AuthError
+
     from dvc.repo.experiments.utils import fetch_all_exps
+    from dvc.scm import GitAuthError
+
+    try:
+        git.fetch(unshallow=unshallow)
+    except AuthError as exc:
+        raise GitAuthError(str(exc)) from exc
 
-    git.fetch(unshallow=unshallow)
     _merge_upstream(git)
-    fetch_all_exps(git, "origin")
+
+    try:
+        fetch_all_exps(git, "origin")
+    except AuthError as exc:
+        raise GitAuthError(str(exc)) from exc
 
 
 def _merge_upstream(git: "Git"):
diff --git a/dvc/scm.py b/dvc/scm.py
index c451a501eb..f3e5a86e90 100644
--- a/dvc/scm.py
+++ b/dvc/scm.py
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ def update_git(self, event: "GitProgressEvent") -> None:
 
 
 def clone(url: str, to_path: str, **kwargs):
+    from scmrepo.exceptions import AuthError
     from scmrepo.exceptions import CloneError as InternalCloneError
 
     from dvc.repo.experiments.utils import fetch_all_exps
@@ -154,6 +155,8 @@ def clone(url: str, to_path: str, **kwargs):
             if "shallow_branch" not in kwargs:
                 fetch_all_exps(git, url, progress=pbar.update_git)
             return git
+        except AuthError as exc:
+            raise GitAuthError(str(exc)) from exc
         except InternalCloneError as exc:
             raise CloneError("SCM error") from exc
 
diff --git a/test_auth_error_fix.py b/test_auth_error_fix.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ce90f85125
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_auth_error_fix.py
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+Test that git authentication errors are properly reported in DVC fetch/import operations.
+"""
+
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+import pytest
+from scmrepo.exceptions import AuthError
+
+from dvc.repo.open_repo import _pull, clone
+from dvc.scm import GitAuthError
+
+
+def test_pull_auth_error_propagation():
+    """Test that _pull properly converts AuthError to GitAuthError."""
+    mock_git = MagicMock()
+    mock_git.fetch.side_effect = AuthError("Authentication failed")
+
+    with pytest.raises(GitAuthError) as exc_info:
+        _pull(mock_git)
+
+    assert "Authentication failed" in str(exc_info.value)
+    assert "See https://dvc.org/doc/user-guide/troubleshooting#git-auth" in str(
+        exc_info.value
+    )
+
+
+def test_pull_fetch_all_exps_auth_error():
+    """Test that _pull handles AuthError from fetch_all_exps."""
+    mock_git = MagicMock()
+    mock_git.fetch.return_value = None  # fetch succeeds
+
+    with patch("dvc.repo.open_repo.fetch_all_exps") as mock_fetch_all_exps:
+        mock_fetch_all_exps.side_effect = AuthError(
+            "Authentication failed for experiments"
+        )
+
+        with pytest.raises(GitAuthError) as exc_info:
+            _pull(mock_git)
+
+        assert "Authentication failed for experiments" in str(exc_info.value)
+
+
+def test_clone_auth_error_propagation():
+    """Test that clone properly converts AuthError to GitAuthError."""
+    with patch("dvc.scm.Git.clone") as mock_git_clone:
+        mock_git_clone.side_effect = AuthError("Bad PAT token")
+
+        with pytest.raises(GitAuthError) as exc_info:
+            clone("https://github.com/test/repo.git", "/tmp/test")
+
+        assert "Bad PAT token" in str(exc_info.value)
+        assert "See https://dvc.org/doc/user-guide/troubleshooting#git-auth" in str(
+            exc_info.value
+        )
+
+
+def test_clone_fetch_all_exps_auth_error():
+    """Test that clone handles AuthError from fetch_all_exps."""
+    mock_git = MagicMock()
+
+    with patch("dvc.scm.Git.clone", return_value=mock_git):
+        with patch("dvc.repo.experiments.utils.fetch_all_exps") as mock_fetch_all_exps:
+            mock_fetch_all_exps.side_effect = AuthError("Experiments fetch auth failed")
+
+            with pytest.raises(GitAuthError) as exc_info:
+                clone("https://github.com/test/repo.git", "/tmp/test")
+
+            assert "Experiments fetch auth failed" in str(exc_info.value)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    # Run basic tests
+    test_pull_auth_error_propagation()
+    test_pull_fetch_all_exps_auth_error()
+    test_clone_auth_error_propagation()
+    test_clone_fetch_all_exps_auth_error()
+    print("✅ All tests passed!")