A magnetic needle is kept in a non-uniform magnetic field. It experiences:

In a uniform magnetic field, a dipole (needle) experiences a torque ($\vec{\tau }=\vec{M}\times \vec{B}$) but no net force because the forces on both poles cancel.In a non-uniform magnetic field, the field strength is different at the locations of the two poles. Therefore, the forces on the north and south poles are not equal and do not cancel, leading to a net force.Additionally, the needle will still experience a torque unless it is aligned perfectly with the field gradient.