Nepal, India to Resume Talks on Air Entry Routes After Decade-Long Lull

Nepal and India are set to resume discussions on additional air entry routes, a move that could significantly ease air traffic for Nepal's new international airports. The negotiations, stalled for nearly a decade, are critical as 90 percent of flights currently use a single, congested route over Simara.

“

Mahawar assured us that the meeting would take place next month.

India has previously expressed reservations about granting new routes, citing security concerns related to military installations and air traffic management complexities. However, a recent meeting between Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal and India's Ministry of External Affairs additional secretary Munu Mahawar in Kathmandu has paved the way for renewed talks.

Senior officials are expected to convene in August to negotiate the new routes. Nepal has been advocating for these additional entry points since 2009, particularly after deciding to build international airports in Pokhara and Bhairahawa. The issue gained political traction in 2014, with both countries' prime ministers directing authorities to resolve it within six months.

“

The technical-level mechanism will examine the bottlenecks in Nepal's request for additional air entry routes.

While progress was made in 2016 with an agreement to make one route two-way and India's in-principle agreement for additional entry points, New Delhi's final decision on Nepal's proposed routes through Janakpur, Bhairahawa, and Nepalgunj has been pending due to internal consultations and security considerations, notably the proximity of the Gorakhpur air base.

“

It is the right of the members to appoint their secretarial staff.