Nepal to send 'positive response' on India's air bubble offer to resume flight services

In response to India's offer to set up an air bubble agreement, Joint Secretary of Ministry of Civil Aviation of Nepal has said that his government would send a "positive response", after which the airlines' operators of the two countries may move forwards with the resumption of flight services.

This development comes after the Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla's two-day visit to Nepal a few days back where he extended the offer of forming an air bubble arrangement to facilitate travellers from the two countries, as India has done with several other countries to resume international flight services amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In resuming the international air travel operations, India had earlier established such air bubble arrangements with several countries, including the US, the UK, France and Germany, UAE, Qatar, the Maldives and Bangladesh.

READ | China's Defence Minister Wei Fenghe To Visit Nepal On Sunday; Will Hold Talks With PM Oli

READ | 'Meeting Nepal’s Vaccine Requirement Would Be India's Priority': Foreign Secy Shringla

Shringla's visit to Nepal

Shringla had met several high-level dignitaries of Nepal apart from Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Oli. Reiterating 'strong ties' between Kathmandu and Delhi, Shringla had announced that India would first prioritise giving the COVID-19 vaccine to its 'closest neighbours' like Nepal.

While mentioning that COVID-19 led to greater cooperation at the financial, regional and international level, Shringla, during his visit, also praised PM Modi's initiative to bring the leaders together to work out arrangements for regional cooperation. Shringla had also thanked Nepal for the generous contribution to the emergency response fund started by PM Modi.

Shringla's visit was also said to hold prominence as it came after the two countries experienced a strain in their long-standing relations over the border dispute that took place in 2020. However, a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs stated: "both sides shared their perspectives on boundary matters and discussed ways to take it forward under the appropriate bilateral mechanisms."

READ | Nepal FM Responds 'positively' To Invitation For India-Nepal Minister-level Meeting In Dec

READ | Shringla Inaugurates Three Schools Built Under Indian Assistance In Nepal's Gorkha District