Tag: NEPAL

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Nepal PM Extends Republic Day Wishes to India

Nepal PM extended best wishes to PM Modi and India on its 75th Republic Day, wishing health, peace, and prosperity. Confident in our nations’ strong friendship…reports Asian Lite News

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal extended Republic Day wishes to India and expressed confidence over the strengthening of India-Nepal ties.

Taking to X, Nepal PMO said, “On the occasion of the 75th Republic Day of India, I extend my best wishes to PM Shri @narendramodi ji, the government and friendly people of India for good health, peace and prosperity. I am confident that the ties of friendship between our countries will continue to grow further.”

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu on Friday celebrated the 75th Republic Day and unfurled the national flag.

The Indian envoy to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava presided over the event and unfurled the flag.

Organizing an event on the lawn of the Embassy, hundreds of Indian nationals living in Nepal attended the ceremony where the address by Indian President Droupadi Murmu was also screened.

The Indian Ambassador referring to President Murmu’s address stated that India in the next 25 years aims to be amongst the developed nations; while doing so, the neighbours also would be given priority, the Indian Chief of Mission reiterated.

“We will not be becoming a developed nation or achieve our tasks unless we take our neighbours along and that is reflected in our neighbourhood first policy that Prime Minister Modi has been following for the last ten years. We see the fruits of that policy in our relations with Nepal. Last year was especially important- the visit of Prime Minister Prachanda in May-June of last year and earlier this month, the visit of the External Affairs Minister of India. These visits have embarked a new momentum and direction to our ties,” Ambassador Srivastava said addressing the event.

Indian envoy presented books to thirty educational institutions worth Nepal Rupee 19 lakhs (Rs 11 lakhs). On this occasion, the Ambassador felicitated widows and next of kin of deceased soldiers by disbursing their dues of NRs. 5.07 Crore (over Rs 3cr) and blankets. The Embassy also unveiled Bhu Puu-2024 magazine covering welfare initiatives of the Government of India for ex-servicemen domiciled in Nepal.

The celebrations witnessed renditions of patriotic songs and performances by students of Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre of the Embassy and Kendriya Vidyalaya School, Kathmandu.

India is celebrating its momentous platinum celebrations of the country’s Republic Day with an enthralling showcase of its military prowess and rich cultural heritage at the majestic ‘Kartavya Path’ in the national capital.

Viksit Bharat’s rich cultural diversity, the ‘Aatmanirbhar’ military prowess and the growing Nari Shakti are the dominating themes of the 90-minute parade that will be graced by French President Emmanuel Macron as Chief Guest. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Nepal Minister Thanks Modi for Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha

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India-Nepal Special Train for Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir Inauguration

There is a huge excitement among the devotees in Nepal over Pran Prastishtha ceremony…reports Asian Lite News

India would be operating a special train to Nepal’s Janakpur — the birthplace of Sita, to bring Lord Ram devotees to Ayodhya on the occasion of Ram Mandir inauguration on January 22 in the Himalayan nation’s neighbouring Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

An official said here on Saturday that the Indian government would send a dedicated train to Nepal to bring the devotees even as thousands of people from Nepal have already left for Ayodhya. Nepal, a landlocked country, is one of the Hindu-majority nations, besides India.

The devotees will travel through the Jaynagar-Janakpur railway route — the only cross-border rail connection between Nepal and India that was laid with Indian assistance.

The Indian Railways would send a train having 20 coaches.

According to officials, the special train will leave for Ayodhya from Janakpur on Sunday, said Niranjan Jha, General Manager at Nepal Railway Company Limited.

There is a huge excitement among the devotees in Nepal over Pran Prastishtha ceremony.

Thousands of Hindu devotees from Nepal are expected to attend the ceremony on Monday.

Several cities in Nepal have urged the local residents to celebrate the day with “Deepoustav”. Authorities in the some cities also banned selling alcohol and non-vegetable food items, among others, on Monday.

The Nepalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had sent a request to the Indian Embassy to arrange a dedicated railway service for January 22.

The ticket booking for the train opened on Saturday afternoon, Jha said. The special rail would leave for Ayodhya on early Sunday morning. The fare would be borne by the devotees.

Jha said one has to pay Rs 3,000 (Nepalese Rupees/ NPR) — around INR 1,882 — to travel in Second AC coaches, NPR 2,000 (INR 1254.29) for Third AC coaches, and NPR 1,000 (INR 627.14) for sleeper class tickets.

The train fair was reduced at the request of the devotees, he said, adding the train will return on Monday night at 11 p.m. from Ayodhya after Pran Prastishtha ceremony.

Meanwhile, Mahant Ram Roshan Das, the successor of the Janaki Temple in Janakpur, has requested Chief Minister Saroj Kumar Yadav of Madhesh Province to announce a public holiday in Madhesh on the day of the inauguration of Ram Mandir.

Mahant Ram Roshan has also submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Yadav demanding a public holiday on Monday.

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Jaishankar Meets Nepal PM in Uganda

Jaishankar who is leading the Indian delegation at the Summit arrived in Kampala on Thursday….reports Asian Lite News

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is in Uganda to attend the 19th NAM Summit, met Prime Minister of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, on the sidelines of the summit on Friday.

“Meeting of Hon’ble EAM @DrSJaishankar with Rt. Hon’ble Prime Minister of Nepal @cmprachanda on sidelines of 19th NAM Summit,” posted the Indian Embassy in Nepal on X.

EAM Jaishankar also shared glimpses of the 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit, which commenced here on Friday.

The foreign minister can be seen meeting various foreign dignitaries participating in the tow-day summit.

Jaishankar who is leading the Indian delegation at the Summit arrived in Kampala on Thursday.

“Arrived in Kampala to represent India at the 19th NAM Summit. Looking forward to engaging colleagues over the coming two days,” Jaishankar said in a post on X.

The 19th NAM Summit under Uganda’s leadership is being held under the theme ‘Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence’ and brings together more than 120 developing countries on a platform of crucial historic significance.

The NAM is a forum of 120 countries that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc.

India wholeheartedly supports Uganda’s theme for NAM and looks forward to engaging with NAM countries. As one of the leading and founding members of NAM, India remains committed to the principles and values of the movement, according to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs.

On the sidelines of the NAM Summit on Thursday, EAM Jaishankar held a meeting with counterparts from Egypt and Belarus

During the meeting, Jaishankar and his Belarusian counterpart Sergei Aleinik exchanged views on cooperation between India and Belarus in various sectors.

The two leaders spoke about developments related to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Jaishankar took to social media platform X to share insights from the meeting held with Aleinik.

“A useful meeting with Belarusian FM Sergei Aleinik. Exchanged views on India- Belarus cooperation in various fields. Also discussed developments pertaining to the Ukraine conflict,” Jaishankar posted on X.

He also held a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry. The two leaders appreciated his assessment of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

During the meeting, Jaishankar and Sameh Shoukry noted the continued progress of bilateral cooperation between the two nations.

Taking to X, Jaishankar stated, “Delighted to meet Egyptian FM Sameh Shoukry. Appreciate his assessment and insights on the ongoing conflict in Gaza. We also noted the continued progress of our bilateral cooperation following the exchange of visits of our leaders in 2023.”

In Kampala, Jaishankar also met Maldivian foreign minister Moosa Zameer and the two ministers exchanged views on the ongoing high-level discussions on the withdrawal of Indian military personnel. They further held discussions to expedite the completion of ongoing development projects in the Maldives and cooperation within SAARC and NAM.

Jaishankar met Angolan Foreign Minister Tete Antonio and held discussions on the expanding collaboration between India and Angola as well as broader India-Africa cooperation.

“Good meeting with Angolan FM @amb_tete. Discussed the expanding India-Angola and India-Africa cooperation. Also spoke about cooperation in multilateral fora. Thanked him for extending visa-free arrangement for Indian nationals,” said Jaishankar in a post on X. (ANI)

ALSO READ: EAM Jaishankar Heads to 19th NAM Summit in Uganda

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India Skeptical of Nepal’s Energy Deal with Chinese Firms, Says Prachanda

Nepal PM said that in the agreement with India, there is no mention of buying energy only produced by Indian companies….reports Asian Lite News

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” on Wednesday said that India has reservations over buying energy from the Himalayan nation produced by Chinese contractors.

Addressing a parliamentary committee meeting, he said though everyone is free to invest and produce energy in Nepal but as per long-term energy trade with India, New Delhi has reservations over buying energy produced by the Chinese companies/contractors.

During External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to Nepal last week, the two neighbouring nations had signed an agreement on long-term power trade paving way for Kathmandu to export 10,000 megawatts of energy to New Delhi.

The agreement is valid for 25 years and subject to renewal every 10 years.

“India has reservations over energy produced directly by Chinese government companies… The Chinese have asked us to tell India that it’s not Chinese government owned companies but they were selected through the global competitive bidding process.

“As per India’s cross border energy trading guidelines, it will only buy electricity from Nepal produced only by the Indian or Nepali companies and investment,” Prachanda said.

He further said that in the agreement with India, there is no mention of buying energy only produced by Indian companies.

“We have requested India to consider to buy energy produced through the competitive bidding process whoever produces.”

As Nepal focusses on hydropower development to meet its own energy needs and export the surplus to neighbouring countries, a fresh study has identified that the Himalayan nation has the potential to harness over 72,000MW of hydropower across 10 major river basins and their sub-basins.

Nepal’s rich water resources were long known, as the country has approximately 6,000 rivers with a total length of 45,000 km.

The average annual water runoff from these rivers is about 220 billion cubic metres, according to an Asian Development Bank.

The 25-year long-term agreement was initiated when Dahal visited India from May 31 to June 3, 2023.

In New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced during a joint press meet with Dahal that the neighbour would buy 10,000 MW of electricity in 10 years from Nepal under the long-term power trade agreement.

“Under this agreement, we have set a target of importing 10,000 MW electricity from Nepal in the coming 10 years,” Modi had said at the time.

Besides exporting power to India, there is a sharp increase in Indian investment in Nepal’s energy sector.

India’s SJVN Limited, which is developing the 900 MW Arun-3 Hydropower Project, has also been granted a license to develop the 669 MW Lower Arun Hydropower Project and the 490 MW Arun-4.

Arun-4 will be developed as a joint venture by the NEA and SJVN, which will have a majority stake.

Likewise, India’s NHPC Limited is also set to develop the 750 MW West Seti and the 450 MW Seti River-6 project.

Similarly, NHPC Limited and Vidyut Utpadan Company Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly develop the 480 MW Phukot Karnali Project during Dahal’s India visit.

Indian firm GMR is also making efforts to develop the 900 MW Upper Karnali Hydropower Project.

“India is ready to take energy from Nepal but it has reservations over energy produced by the Chinese companies,” Prachanda said at the meeting.

“If energy produced by the Chinese companies through the global competitive bidding process, we have asked the Indian side not to understand it as produced by the Chinese companies or Chinese government.”

ALSO READ: Nepal, India review bilateral pacts

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Nepal, India hold 11th meeting of Joint Steering Committee

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The meetings comprehensively reviewed the bilateral power sector cooperation between India and Nepal, including power trade and the implementation of hydropower projects and transmission lines…reports Asian Lite News

The 11th meeting of the Joint Steering Committee on Power Sector Cooperation (JSC) was held in Chitwan, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said.

The meeting was co-chaired by Pankaj Agarwal, secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India and Gopal Prasad Sigdel, secretary (Energy), Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation.

“The meeting followed the signing of the Agreement on Long-Term Power Trade between India and Nepal on January 4, 2024. This was preceded by the 11th meeting of the Joint Working Group on Power Sector Cooperation (JWG) held on January 3, which was co-chaired by Dr. D. Sai Baba, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Power and Nabin Raj Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Government of Nepal in Kathmandu,” the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu stated.

The meetings comprehensively reviewed the bilateral power sector cooperation between India and Nepal, including power trade and the implementation of hydropower projects and transmission lines. The progress made by various bilateral committees, including the Joint Technical Team (JTT), was also discussed.

The modalities of cross-border power trade through 132 kV and below transmission lines were approved during the meeting. This assumes special significance as three new 132 kV lines, i.e., second circuit of Raxaul (Bihar, India) -Parwanipur (Nepal), the second circuit of Kataiya (Bihar, India) -Kusaha (Nepal) and the new Nautanwa (Uttar Pradesh, India)-Mainhiya (Nepal) were inaugurated by the External Affairs Minister of India and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal on January 4.

These lines add about 200 MW transmission capacity enhancing the overall transmission capacity between India and Nepal to 1400 MW. Further, the New Nautanwa-Mainhiya transmission line is the first connection between Nepal and the state of Uttar Pradesh in India.

Achieving progress on the India-Nepal Joint Vision Statement on Power Sector Cooperation issued during the visit of the Prime Minister of Nepal to India in April 2022, both sides agreed to hold the first meeting of the Joint Hydro Development Committee (JHDC) soon.

Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal also called on Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation of Nepal, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, before the JSC.

The two sides agreed to continue the discussions on the subject and decided to meet soon for the next sessions of the JWG/JSC meetings to be organised by the Indian side. (ANI)

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Nepal, India review bilateral pacts

Kathmandu, Jan 05 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar meets former Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba during his two-day visit, in Kathmandu on Thursday. (ANI Photo)

Nepal and India signed an agreement on electricity trade as part of which Nepal will export 10,000 megawatts of electricity to India over the next ten years…reports Asian Lite News

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar co-chaired with his Nepal counterpart NP Saud a “comprehensive and productive” meeting of the 7th India-Nepal Joint Commission on Thursday, in which discussions focused on overall bilateral ties and covered a vast array of areas including land, rail and air connectivity projects, defence cooperation, security, energy, power and water resources.

During the visit, Nepal and India signed a long-term agreement on electricity trade as part of which Nepal will export 10,000 megawatts of electricity to India over the next ten years.

Agreements were signed on the implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects, long Term Power Trade, Cooperation in Renewable Energy Development, Munal Satellite and the Handover of 5th tranche of the post-Jajarkot earthquake relief supply.

Three cross-border transmission lines were jointly inaugurated during Jaishankar’s visit.

“Co-chaired with my counterpart FM @NPSaudnc a comprehensive and productive meeting of the 7th India-Nepal Joint Commission. Discussions focused on our overall bilateral ties, trade & economic relations, land, rail & air connectivity projects, cooperation in defense & security, agriculture, energy, power, water resources, disaster management, tourism, civil aviation, people-to-people & cultural exchanges and development partnership,” Jaishankar said in a post on X.

Saud said he and Jaishankar virtually inaugurated three 132 kV cross-border transmission lines between Nepal and India, namely, the second circuit of Raxaul-Parwanipur line, the second circuit of Kataiya-Kusaha line, and the New Nautanwa-Mainhiya line.

The bilateral understanding on electricity export was reached during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s visit to India from May 31 to June 3, last year. During the visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed India’s commitment to long-term electricity purchase from Nepal and both nations reached a consensus in this regard.

Further, by virtue of this agreement, various government and private entities in India will engage in power trade with Nepal through short-term, medium-term, and long-term contracts. Private sectors in Nepal can also participate in the import and export of electricity after completing the necessary procedures.

In the joint statement issued during the visit of the Nepalese PM to India last year, the premiers of both nations said the power export deal was historic and significant.

Nepal has already devised an energy development strategy with an objective of producing 28,000 MW of electricity in the next 12 years.

Of the 28,000 MW of power, a target has been set to export 15,000 MW of electricity to different countries, including India. Earlier, a delegation led by the Indian Energy secretary paid a courtesy call to Nepalese Energy Minister Basnet.

Jaishankar, who arrived in Nepal on Thursday on a two-day visit, also met Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal at his office at Singhadurbar Palace in Kathmandu and shared views on the prevailing bilateral relations. This is Jaishankar’s first visit abroad in the New Year and signifies the close and friendly ties between the two countries.

“Called on Rt. Hon’ble PM @cmprachanda. Conveyed the warm wishes of PM @narendramodi. Recalled his successful visit to India in June 2023 which has imparted new momentum to our ties. Discussed the follow-up, including through the Joint Commission Meeting today,” Jaishankar said in a pos on X.

He said the India-Nepal friendship is “indeed unique and our partnership is moving from strength to strength”. Jaishankar on Thursday also met Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel.

“Honoured to call on @OOP_Nepal Ramchandra Paudel. Conveyed the warm greetings of President Droupadi Murmu. Valued his guidance and sentiments for strong and expanding India-Nepal ties.”

On Thursday evening, Jaishankar also interacted with members of the Nepal Cricket team “Congratulated them on qualifying for the T20 World Cup. Assured them of India’s support in their preparations. Underlined our commitment to the growth of cricket in Nepal,” he posted on X.

He also met with the former PMs of Nepal Madhav Kumar Nepal and KP Sharma Oli. Nepal is a “priority partner” of India under its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy’.

Jaishankar on Friday offered prayers at Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal. He stated that he prayed for the well-being of people of Nepal and India and the ties between the two nations.

Taking to X, Jaishankar stated, “Blessed to visit the Pashupatinath Temple today morning. Prayed for the well-being of our two peoples and India-Nepal ties.”

On Thursday, EAM Jaishankar co-chaired with his Nepal counterpart NP Saud a “comprehensive and productive” meeting of the 7th India-Nepal Joint Commission, in which discussions focused on overall bilateral ties and covered a vast array of areas including land, rail and air connectivity projects, defence cooperation, security, energy, power and water resources.

During the visit, Nepal and India signed a long-term agreement on electricity trade, as part of which Nepal will export 10,000 megawatts of electricity to India over the next ten years.

Agreements were signed on the implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects, long Term Power Trade, Cooperation in Renewable Energy Development, Munal Satellite and the Handover of 5th tranche of the post-Jajarkot earthquake relief supply.

Three cross-border transmission lines were jointly inaugurated during Jaishankar’s visit. (ANI)

ALSO READ-India’s Generous Rs 1,000 Cr Grant Fuels Nepal’s Reconstruction

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Nepal, India Bolsters Bilateral Ties

The Joint Commission is the highest-level political mechanism between Nepal and India to take stock of the state of bilateral relations….reports Asian Lite News

 Nepal and India on Thursday comprehensively reviewed the status of bilateral ties and areas of cooperation that exist between the two countries during the seventh meeting of the India-Nepal Joint Commission here.

To take part in the meeting, India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday and co-chaired the talks along with his Nepal counterpart, N.P. Saud.

“Had a comprehensive and productive meeting of the 7th India-Nepal Joint Commission. The discussions focused on our overall bilateral ties, trade and economic relations, land, rail, and air connectivity projects, cooperation in defence and security, agriculture, energy, power, water resources, disaster management, tourism, civil aviation, people-to-people contact, cultural exchanges and development partnership, Jaishankar tweeted.

The Joint Commission is the highest-level political mechanism between Nepal and India to take stock of the state of bilateral relations.

During the meeting, Nepal and India inked several agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoU), where India announced a grant of NPR 1,000 crore for the country’s reconstruction bid after the devastating earthquake last year.

This is a new grant announced by India to assist Nepal in its reconstruction bid.

Both sides also inked another agreement on long-term power trade, setting a target to reach 10,000 megawatt of electricity exports to India in the coming 10 years.

Nepal’s Secretary in the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Gopal Sigdel, and India’s Energy Secretary Pankaj Agarwal signed an MoU on the deal during a meeting at the Yak and Yeti Hotel here. The energy deal was among the four agreements signed on Thursday.

Another agreement is related to an increase of Indian aid for small development projects in Nepal. As of now, India has been providing Rs 5 crore to execute small development projects. Now, the budget has been increased to Rs 20 crore, according to the agreement.

This small development grant will be provided through government bodies and other organisations.

According to Amrit Rai, spokesperson for Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, India has also agreed on Rs 10 billion financial aid to Nepal for the reconstruction of Jajarkot and Rukum West, which were worst hit by the earthquake in November.

Likewise, an agreement has been reached for the launch of Nepali satellites between the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology and New Space India Limited under the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

ISRO will launch the made in Nepal satellites.

Similarly, an MoU was inked for cooperation in the renewable energy sector between the Nepal Electricity Authority and the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), India.

Saud and Jaishankar also jointly inaugurated three cross-border transmission lines.

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India’s Generous Rs 1,000 Cr Grant Fuels Nepal’s Reconstruction

The newly announced assistance of Rs 1,000 crore, however, is a fresh one…reports Asian Lite News

India on Thursday announced a Rs (Nepalese Rupee) 1,000 crore grant for Nepal’s reconstruction bid during the seventh meeting of Nepal-India Joint Commission at the Foreign Ministerial-level, an official said.

Earlier, following the devastating earthquake in 2015 in the Himalayan nation, India had announced a $1 billion grant and loan for Nepal’s reconstruction bid.

The newly announced assistance of Rs 1,000 crore, however, is a fresh one, an official said.

The agreement was signed during the visit of Indian External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar to Kathmandu.

Jaishankar arrived here on a two-day visit on Thursday and paid a courtesy call to President Ram Chandra Poudel and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda.

The other three agreements are the implementation of ‘High Impact Community Development Projects’ in Nepal for which India will provide NPR 200 million for each small project in its neighbouring nation.

Another agreement is for the long-term power trade between the two countries wherein Nepal can export up to 10,000 MW of energy in the next 10 years.

Likewise, both sides have launched a Service Agreement for nano satellite developed by Nepal Academy of Science and Technology. The pact was signed between Nepal Academy of Science and Technology and NewSpace India Limited.

An official said the another MoU was for cooperation in Renewable Energy Development between Nepal Electricity Authority and NTPC Limited, India.

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Over 100 Nepali Soldiers Missing in Russian Army, Confirms Minister

With this, the casualties of Nepali nationals in the Russian army is higher than what is reported till now….reports Asian Lite News

In a chilling revelation, Nepal’s Foreign Affairs Minister Narayan Prakash Saud revealed some 100 Nepalis who joined the Russian army have been reported missing.

“As per the information made available to us by the Russian government, around 100 Nepalis serving in the Russian army are missing and injured,” he said in an interview with state news agency, RSS.

With this, the casualties of Nepali nationals in the Russian army is higher than what is reported till now.

Nepal government does not permit its citizens to serve in foreign armies, apart from those of India and the United Kingdom as per two separate treaties.

Nepali nationals, who are taken to Moscow through the nexus of human trafficking, ended up in the Russian army under the pretext of earning huge money. Some individuals involved in human trafficking are arrested by the Nepal Police for illegally sending the citizens to the Russian Army.

The government of Nepal has already announced that at least seven Nepali citizens have been killed while serving in the Russian Army as mercenaries. Russia has opened recruitment for foreign nationals from this May through a decree issued by President Vladimir Putin.

Apart from the deaths of seven people, complaints have been filed into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that around 100 people are missing and injured, Saud said, adding that the exact number of Nepalis serving in the Russian Army is yet to be ascertained.

“It is estimated that about 200 Nepali youths who went to Russia for work, study and visit have joined the army. The number should be much higher as the ministry has received complaints that around 100 are missing and injured,” he said.

Saud, in his interview, said that the government has made it mandatory to obtain a no-objection certificate for travel to Russia from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and six Gulf countries.

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Nepal Calls For Bid to Auction Defunct Chinese Aircraft

Though the planes are out of service due to high-cost operationalisation and are unfit to fly, the Ministry of Finance has started paying back the interest on the loans for the planes….reports Asian Lite News

Dubbed “White Elephant,” Nepal Airlines Corporation, the national flag carrier of Nepal, has called for a bid to auction five Chinese aircraft that have remained off the air for three years.

Issuing a notice Thursday morning, the Nepal Airlines Corporation called on the bidders on the basis of “As is Where is Basis” to sell it’s two MA-60 and three Y-12 E aircraft.

“Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) invites all interested companies and individuals to submit their sealed tender document for the Auction Sale of Two MA-60 and Y-12 E Aircraft on as is where is basis,” states the auction notice from the flag carrier published on Thursday.

According to the notice, the bidders have to send their sealed bid by February 4, 2024 (13:00 hrs- NST).

Imported with high hopes to fly to remote and unserved sectors, three 17-seater Y12 E and two 56-seater MA-60 aircraft have been gathering rust in the parking bay of Tribhuwan International Airport. One more that crashed in Nepalgunj has been deemed unflyable.

These aircraft have been grounded since July 30, 2020. Those remaining at the hangar of the airport in Kathmandu have been prepared for sale, as it has been gathering rust and dust along with piling debts for the already loss-bearing national flag carrier.

In November 2012, the NAC signed a commercial agreement with the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), a Chinese government undertaking to procure aircraft.

China at the time had provided the grant and concessional loan assistance of 408 million Chinese yuan, equivalent to Nrs. 6.67 Billion.

Out of the total aid money, a grant worth 180 million yuan (Rs 2.94 billion) went to pay for one MA60 and one Y12e aircraft. The other aircraft were bought for 228 million yuan (Rs3.72 billion) with a soft loan provided by China’s EXIM Bank.

Soon after their arrival, the NAC board realised that the aircraft needed more money to operate than to purchase and bring it to Nepal. In July 2020, the NAC board decided to stop the operation of aircraft and since then, they have been kept at Tribhuwan International Airport.

Before deciding to sell it off, the NAC also handed the aircraft to the government but it was ignored, and then the national flag carrier attempted to rent it, which also failed.

Though the planes are out of service due to high-cost operationalisation and are unfit to fly, the Ministry of Finance has started paying back the interest on the loans for the planes.

Annual interest of 1.5 per cent and service charges and management expenses of 0.4 per cent of the overall loan amount need to be paid. Two installments have already been paid, which include the interest on the loans that were provided by EXIM Bank.

As per the November 2012 agreement, China had given Nepal Airlines a seven-year grace period under which it would not have to pay interest or installment payments. The payback period of the loan is 20 years or by March 21, 2034. The planes have completed the seven-year grace period privilege.

The first quarterly installment of 10.9 million yuan (Rs205.67 million) was sent in September 2021, while the second installment was sent in March. The accumulated losses on the five Chinese planes have already crossed Rs 2 billion.

Before the planes were grounded, the total accumulated losses of these planes were Rs1.9 billion, nearly half the cost of the planes. With the planes grounded, the operating costs have dropped for Nepal Airlines, but it has to pay insurance premiums for the aircraft and parts. (ANI)

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