Kathmandu, December 28
Nepal has rejected India’s proposal on signing a bilateral open sky agreement that allows either country to operate unlimited flights using each other’s skies.
Indian officials had floated such an agreement during talks with their Nepali counterparts last week.
The Nepali side said it is not yet ready for such a deal with India.
“India has adopted an open sky policy, but Nepal has not,” Suresh Acharya, joint-secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, told Onlinekhabar.
He added: We have only one international airport as of now. So, we said we cannot sign such a deal for want of adequate infrastructure. In two years, adequate infrastructure for such a deal will be ready, Acharya said, adding that Nepal can engage in discussions regarding the deal after that.
Construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport is currently underway, while another international airport is under construction in Pokhara.
The two sides have agreed on forming a joint technical committee to look into Nepal’s request for opening of three new air routes via Janakpur, Bhairahawa and Nepalgunj.
