Tag: NEPAL

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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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Nepali Deaths in Russian Army Rise to Seven

The Nepal government doesn’t permit Nepali nationals to serve in foreign armies besides in India and the United Kingdom. But that hasn’t stopped Nepali youths from enrolling individually in the militaries of several other countries…reports Asian Lite News

With the announcement of the killing of an additional Nepali national, a total of seven Nepali nationals have been killed while serving in the Russian Army, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.

Earlier, the Foreign Ministry had informed that at least six Nepali nationals serving in the Russian Army have been killed while fighting Ukrainian forces and it is estimated that around 200 Nepali nationals are serving as mercenaries in Putin’s army since the war broke out between Russia and Ukraine some 22 months back.

A Nepali national serving in the Russian Army named, Kundan Singh Nagal, bearer of passport number 09473632 who was serving in the Russian Army, has been killed, said a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.

“The ministry has urged the Nepali Ambassador in Russia to initiate sending back the dead bodies of Nepali nationals as soon as possible and reimburse the compensation to the family members of those who were killed and injured during the war,” said the statement.

Meanwhile, the Nepal government once again urged the government of Russia not to recruit Nepali nationals in its army and send back those who are serving there through its Ambassador, said a ministry’s statement.

Since there is no official record as to how many Nepali nationals are serving in the Russian Army, the Foreign Ministry also asked the Russian government to provide details about numbers, including those injured and their status, the statement added.

The Nepal government doesn’t permit Nepali nationals to serve in foreign armies besides in India and the United Kingdom. But that hasn’t stopped Nepali youths from enrolling individually in the militaries of several other countries.

There are also reports that some Nepali nationals are serving in the Ukraine Army too, but the government does not have their details. The government has also asked the Russian government to repatriate Nepalis currently serving in Russian forces as soon as possible, according to the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry said that four Nepali nationals serving in the Russian Army as mercenaries have been taken hostage by the Ukrainian Army as it released their names and addresses.

After the Nepal government requested the Ukrainian government to release the hostages, the Ukrainian authorities have set some conditions for their release, the ministry said without sharing details about the conditions put by Kiev.

During a recent briefing to the Nepali media by the Foreign Ministry and Nepali Ambassador to Russia, Milan Raj Tuladhar, it was said that Nepali nationals were being lured with promises of big money and were mostly smuggled into Russia, with each individual paying up to Rs 1 million to the ‘agents’.

On August 1, the Foreign Ministry had issued a statement urging Nepali citizens not to join foreign armies in war-torn countries.

“The attention of the ministry has been drawn to the news in social networking sites that Nepali citizens have joined foreign armies,” said the statement, adding, “The policy of the Nepal government does not allow Nepali citizens to join foreign armies except for the fact that Nepali citizens are being recruited in the national armies of some friendly countries as per the traditional agreement reached between Nepal and those countries.”

With the help of human traffickers, many Nepalis have reached Russia on student and tourist visas and joined its army.

Earlier in May, Russia had paved the way for recruiting foreign nationals in its army following a decree by President Vladimir Putin.

According to an internal report the Nepal Embassy in Moscow sent to the Foreign Ministry, there has been a big surge of Nepali population in Russia and many among them have joined the armed forces following the presidential decree.

The ministry has also urged the public not to make non-essential travel to Russia, except in the case of individuals with government-related tasks, recipients of Russian government scholarships, and those engaged in business or work in Russia.

If there is a need to travel to Russia, the ministry has urged individuals to obtain a no objection certificate (NOC) from its Tripureshwar-based Consular Department.

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Why Did China’s BRI Falter in Nepal?

Highlighting Nepal’s complex diplomatic ties with the two major powers, China and India, Lord Bruce talked about the difficulties Kathmandu faces in pursuing its foreign policy….reports Asian Lite News

The Democracy Forum (TDF) conducted a webinar titled ‘Why has China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) failed to take off in Nepal.’ During this session, panelists shared their insights and perspectives on the factors contributing to the project’s lack of progress.

All issues encompassing funding and transparency concerns and the nation’s complicated geopolitical position were discussed in the webinar.

The panel included Lord Bruce, Humphrey Hawkesly, Barry Gardiner, Andrew G Ross, Samir Sharma, Kamal Dev Bhattrai, and Prashanti Poudyal.

In June, Nepal’s foreign minister confirmed that not a single project in the country had been carried out under the initiative after China claimed that the Pokhara International Airport would be the BRI’s flagship project.

In the discussion led by Humphrey Hawkesly, TDF President Lord Bruce spoke about the complexities surrounding the Chinese project while providing a recap of recent events.

“In 2017, Nepal signed up for China’s Belt and Road Initiative. However, nothing has been accomplished after six years. No Memorandum of Understanding within the BRI framework was signed by the Prime Minister of Nepal during his eight-day visit to China in September,” said Lord Bruce.

Highlighting Nepal’s complex diplomatic ties with the two major powers, China and India, Lord Bruce talked about the difficulties Kathmandu faces in pursuing its foreign policy.

Highlighting Nepal’s complex diplomatic ties with the two major powers, China and India, Lord Bruce talked about the difficulties Kathmandu faces in pursuing its foreign policy.

In this context, the TDF president mentioned the Millennium Challenge Corporation Nepal Compact, a grant of USD 500 million from the United States for infrastructure projects.

“The MCC posed concerns regarding Nepal’s alignment in the global geopolitical landscape, entangled between the objectives of the United States, China, and India,” said Bruce.

Andrew Ross, a senior lecturer at the University of Dundee, first talked about the Chinese initiative in the broader geopolitical power game and said that the reconstruction of the ancient Silk Route seeks to strengthen Beijing’s economic leadership.

Ross said that the visually appealing projects are making the countries wary. “It is being viewed with considerable anxiety in relation to non-performing assets and the implications of non-meeting debt obligations,” he added.

Prashanti Poudyal, a Research Fellow, cited Nepal’s inability to afford high-interest loans for significant infrastructure projects as a reason behind a cautious and strategic approach by Nepali leaders.

“The BRI loans are much higher than the loans provided by other multilateral organisations. The average interest rate of the BRI projects is 4.2 per cent with a grace period of less than two years and a maturity length of less than ten years,” said Poudyal.

She also added that the experiences of regional neighbours like Sri Lanka and Pakistan acted as a cautionary tale for Nepal.

In the webinar, the complexity of Nepal’s geopolitical situation was also emphasised. Nepal’s reluctance to fully embrace the BRI was linked to concerns about its constitutional obligation of non-alignment.

In the discussion, it was also pointed out that Nepal sees BRI as a discrete project rather than an all-encompassing endeavour, which stops Kathmandu from fully embracing it.

Political instability, a non-friendly atmosphere for investment, and the fear that Chinese interference might lead to financial disaster are some of the reasons behind the non-implementation of Chinese projects in Nepal, the participants noted. (ANI)

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National Assembly Elections Scheduled For Jan. 25 in Nepal

A total of 20 seats in the National Assembly will be vacant after March 3. Out of these, 19 seats will be elected through elections. …reports Asian Lite News

The Nepal government announced on Wednesday, January 25, 2024, as the date to hold the elections to fill 20 vacant seats of the upper house.

The meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Wednesday morning made the decision to hold the election for the National Assembly on the last week of January, government spokesperson Rekha Sharma confirmed ANI over the phone.

“The Election Commission had suggested the date for the election as January 25, according to which the date has been fixed through the meeting of the council of ministers,” Sharma said.

A total of 20 seats in the National Assembly will be vacant after March 3. Out of these, 19 seats will be elected through elections. While the remaining one will be nominated by the President on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers.

In the National Assembly, the post of eight MPs from the Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), four from the Nepali Congress, three from CPN (Maoist Center), two from the Unified Socialist Party, one from the Janata Samajwadi Party, one from Rastriya Swatantra Party and one MP from UML will be vacant.

India-funded school buildings inaugurated

School and laboratory buildings of Shree Gautam Buddha Secondary School, Buddhabhumi Municipality, Kapilvastu District, built with Government of India’s financial assistance of Nepalese Rupees (NRs) 33.23 million under ‘Nepal-India Development Cooperation’, were formally inaugurated on Monday.

The inauguration ceremony was graced by the presence of the Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India in Kathmandu Prasanna Shrivastava, Chief of District Coordination Committee Kapilvastu Baburam Acharya and Mayor of Buddhabhumi Municipality Keshav Kumar Shrestha. Political representatives, government officials, social workers, representatives of the School management, teachers, parents and students were also present on this occasion, a press release said.

The Government of India grant under ‘Nepal-India Development Cooperation’ was utilized for the construction of a double-storied school building, and a three-storied lab building and for procurement of furniture and lab equipment. (ANI)

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Nepal Registers First Same-Sex Marriage

Surendra Pandey and Ram Bahadur Gurung, the same sex couples who earlier had tried to register their marriage at the Kathmandu District Court were sent back denying registration despite the order from Supreme Court….reports Asian Lite News

A local body in Nepal has officially registered the nation’s first same-sex marriage, making the country the second in Asia to give recognition to same-sex couples.

Following the interim order from the Supreme Court issued on June 28, 2023, the Dordi Village Council in Lamjung District of Nepal officially recorded the marriage between Surendra Pandey and Ram Bahadur Gurung aka Maya Gurung on Wednesday.

“As per the orders from the Supreme Court, this marriage has been recorded temporarily,” reads a comment on the marriage certificate issued on the name Surendra Pandey and Ram Bahadur Gurung aka Maya Gurung.

Surendra Pandey and Ram Bahadur Gurung, the same sex couples who earlier had tried to register their marriage at the Kathmandu District Court were sent back denying registration despite the order from Supreme Court.

Saddened by the denial from the District Court, the same-sex couple continued their fight to get recognition. The same sex couple went to the National Identity Card and Registration Department who further directed for the registration of the marriage.

“Supreme Court’s verdict had really increased hope amongst people of our community but the later verdict eroded the expectations of those waiting to get married. But our hope hasn’t really faded, we have been redirected to high-court from the district court. We have been following the court for a month hoping we will be served justice,” Surendra had earlier told ANI in August while he paraded in capital Kathmandu alongside bride Ram Bahadur Gurung.

“Those couples who want to get legally married despite being LGBTQIA+ need not face hurdles. This is not only for us but for others who want to take same step in future,” Ram Bahadur Gurung also known as Maya Gurung had earlier told ANI on August this year.

But on Wednesday, the same-sex couple became the first same-sex married couple to have their marriage officially recorded.

On June, a single bench of judge Til Prasad Shrestha issued an interim order directing the authorities to make necessary arrangements to register the marriages of sexual minorities.

In the order, the Supreme Court stated the clause 69 (1) of the Civil Code 2074 states that a person has right of marriage and Nepal’s Constitution clause 18 (1) states equality.

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court a decade and half back had allowed sexual minorities to marry but the Civil Code of the nation hasn’t approved the same sex marriage.

In the latest round of order, the Supreme Court has further ordered the government to provide a written response regarding the legal framework pertaining to the registration of marriages for the same sex.

The Himalayan nation buffered between two giants China and India has progressive legal provisions regarding sexual minorities than any other countries in the region.

With a progressive constitution to grant rights and recognition to sexual minorities, Nepal, since the last census of 2021, has started collecting data on LGBTQI+ as well. Though the newly promulgated constitution of Nepal in September of 2015 has special provisions for sexual minorities, the group has been demanding for complete its implementation.

The government had promised to provide the group with citizenship on the basis of sexual orientation but the condition isn’t that favourable when it goes into implementation. The minorities have been voicing for same-sex marriage, which they claim would give them a chance to live the life of heterosexuals.

As per the latest census of 2021, there are a total of 2, 928 people who identified themselves as “others” in terms of gender or sexual orientation.

The census of 2021 also set the mark as the first census of the nation to start recording the population of sexual minorities. (ANI)

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Quake-Hit Nepal Receives Fourth Tranche of Indian Aid

Till now, India has shipped over 34 tonnes of emergency relief materials for the affected families in Nepal…reports Asian Lite News

India on Monday sent the fourth tranche of earthquake relief support of essential medical supplies to Nepal.

The support, comprising vital medicines and equipment, is based on the requirements shared by the Nepal Medical Association, according to an official release.

Till now, India has shipped over 34 tonnes of emergency relief materials for the affected families in Nepal following the earthquake witnessed by Jajarkot and surrounding areas on November 3.

Further, according to the release, India’s humanitarian response to the Jajarkot earthquake affirms its commitment to support Nepal under its Neighbourhood First Policy.

“India will continue to support the relief efforts in Nepal based on the assessment and priorities outlined by the Government of Nepal,” the release said.

“Fourth tranche of relief support comprising vital medicines & equipment for the earthquake-affected families reaches Nepal. India’s humanitarian efforts continue to support people in Nepal,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted from his official handle on X.

Recently, India sent a third tranche of relief materials to earthquake victims in Nepal.

“Acting on the commitment of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the third tranche of over 12 tonnes of earthquake relief support comprising blankets, sleeping bags, tents and essential medical supplies, etc. reached Nepal on November 9, 2023, via a special Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130 flight,” a release from the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu stated earlier.

The support included tents and tarpaulin sheets, blankets, sleeping bags, as well as, vital medicines, medical equipment such as surgical equipment, portable ventilators and hygiene supplies to meet the urgent requirements of the earthquake-affected families.

The strong tremor, which even jolted the national capital and parts of north India, left 157 dead and scores injured.

Jaishankar said earlier that this rapid response aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’, emphasising India’s commitment to supporting its neighbouring nations in times of crisis.

“Providing emergency relief assistance to earthquake-affected areas of Nepal. As a first responder, India delivers medicines and relief material. PM Narendra Modi’s Neighbourhood First policy in action,” EAM Jaishankar posted from his X handle. (ANI)

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TikTok Banned in Nepal Over Social Harmony Concerns

TikTok. (Photo:Unsplash)

The decision of the government of Nepal comes after contents shared over Tik Tok allegedly caused disruption in social harmony and break-ups in societal relations….reports Asian Lite News

Nepal government Minister of Information and Communications, Rekha Sharma, said on Monday that a cabinet meeting of the Nepal government has decided to ban the social media app TikTok and a complete technical ban will come into effect later.

While confirming the development over the phone to ANI, the minister said, “Tik Tok has been banned in Nepal on a policy level from today. The technical aspect of banning would take some time. The Ministry of Information and Communications would facilitate bringing the ban into effect.”

The decision of the government of Nepal comes after contents shared over Tik Tok allegedly caused disruption in social harmony and break-ups in societal relations.

Within the past 4 years and 3 months, a total of 1648 cases of cybercrime were registered in the cyber bureau of the Nepal Police, out of which the majority were regarding the contents of Tik Tok.

Chinese social media Tik Tok does not have any provisions to remove offensive contents. With the latest move, Nepal becomes the most recent country to ban Tik Tok, which is already banned in over 50 countries.

The latest decision has come within days after the government introduced the ‘Directives on the Operation of Social Networking 2023’.

As per the new rule, social media platforms operating in Nepal are required to set up their offices in the country.

On Thursday, the country made it mandatory for social media sites such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and YouTube, among others, to open their liaison offices in Nepal.

The companies will have to establish either an office or appoint a focal person in Nepal within three months of the enforcement of the directives. They also have been mandated to register their social media platforms with the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, or face a shutdown.

The directives include a 19-point not-to-do list for users of platforms like Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. Meanwhile, in India, the government had in June 2020 banned TikTok along with several other Chinese apps, over national security concerns. Prior to the ban, the app had about 150 million monthly active users in India.

Moreover, concerning the security issues with the TikTok app, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Afghanistan, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway have imposed partial or complete bans respectively on the video sharing app. (ANI)

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Nepal Probes China-Funded Pokhara Airport Amid Criticism

Nepal’s USD 216 million international airport in Pokhara, constructed with loans from China, was inaugurated in January….reports Asian Lite News

Following The New York Times’ expose on the construction quality and cost irregularities at the Pokhara airport financed by Chinese state-owned firms, Nepal’s anti-corruption agency has initiated an inquiry into the project.

Nepal’s USD 216 million international airport in Pokhara, constructed with loans from China, was inaugurated in January.

However, concerns have emerged as the airport is yet to attract regular international flights, casting doubts on its revenue generation to repay the Chinese loans the New York Times reported.

As per The New York Times, the project, managed by China comprehensive annual maintenance contract (CAMC) Engineering, a subsidiary of Sinomach, has faced criticism, with accusations of inflated costs and substandard construction that compromised the airport’s quality.

Nepali officials have sought a loan-to-grant conversion from Beijing to alleviate the financial strain, but China has not acceded to the request.

Bhola Dahal, a spokesman for Nepal’s anti-corruption agency, confirmed an ongoing investigation into the airport, acknowledging multiple complaints, totalling over 20, concerning construction quality, as per an article by The New York Times.

The Pokhara airport debacle adds to the international scrutiny of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which has faced backlash due to expensive, low-quality construction, and growing debt burdens for borrowing nations.

Despite Nepal’s aspiration to develop a world-class airport, the investigation now reflects the challenges and complexities of funding, quality, and diplomatic implications with neighbouring countries, including India.

As the inquiry progresses, engineers familiar with the project have raised concerns about compromised construction quality, emphasizing flaws in the infrastructure that question its solidity.

While China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed unawareness of the investigation, it reaffirmed the necessity for its firms to adhere to local laws and quality standards in their overseas operations.

The Pokhara airport’s entanglement in this controversy echoes a growing trend among countries indebted to China, impacting diplomacy, regional influence, and infrastructure development. (ANI)

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