London, November 5
Nepal is continuing diplomatic efforts to secure permission to use Indian airspace for its international flights, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadkaraj (Ganesh) Paudel has said.
Addressing an interaction organised by the Britain-Nepal Chamber of Commerce in London on Tuesday, Paudel said the government was pursuing the matter with India and that it would be raised at the highest level during Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s upcoming visit to the country.
Paudel noted that India was building a regional airport in Motihari, Bihar, which might require the use of Nepal’s airspace. “We are also seeking permission to use Indian airspace for our international flights. Talks on the matter are moving in a positive direction,” he said.
Access to Indian airspace would make it easier to operate international flights from Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa, he added.
The minister also said the government was pursuing diplomatic efforts to have the European Union lift its aviation safety restrictions on Nepali airlines.
Nepal’s aviation sector has been on the EU’s safety list since 2013. Although the International Civil Aviation Organization removed Nepal from its list of countries with significant safety concerns in 2018, the EU restrictions remain in place.
Paudel said the government planned to make fuller use of the international airports in Bhairahawa and Pokhara, noting that Tribhuvan International Airport was currently operating at 120 per cent of its capacity.
“We are coordinating with Buddhist-majority countries such as Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand and Japan to bring more Buddhist tourists to Lumbini,” he said.
He also stressed the need to build Nijgadh International Airport to develop Nepal into an international transit hub.
Paudel, who is in the UK to attend the World Travel Market, said he had held meetings with counterparts from various countries. He added that the government was committed to establishing Nepal as a destination for yoga, meditation and wellness tourism.
At the programme, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker and head of the party’s expatriate committee Manish Jha said the party viewed non-resident Nepalis not merely as donors but as a “think tank” for the country.
Jha pledged that legislation to implement non-resident Nepali citizenship would be drafted within the next three months to address their concerns.
“We urge NRNs to contribute their skills, networks and resources to Nepal’s prosperity. We must move forward together,” he said.
Britain-Nepal Chamber of Commerce President Biraj Bhatta said the organisation had been working since its establishment to promote trade and investment between Nepal and the UK. He urged the government to make it easier for non-resident Nepalis to invest in the country and remove administrative hurdles.
The chamber’s CEO Steve Buckley and former president Rajan Kandel also spoke about opportunities and challenges for trade and investment in Nepal.
At the beginning of the programme, the chamber’s Vice-President Indra Giri welcomed participants and introduced the speakers. Paudel and Jha later answered questions raised by attendees.
