Daily Archives: January 27, 2010

New Delhi’s pressure to allow sky marshals on Indian planes flying out from Kathmandu has put Nepali government agencies in a dilemma. Foreign and Home Ministry officials held consultations with their colleagues in the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA) before Indian External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna’s visit to Nepal in mid-January and Home Minister Bhim Rawal’s India visit last week, according to TKP. As Nepal is a party to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), MoTCA officials say, armed foreign nationals should hand over their weapons to Nepali security when they get off the plane as per Standard Operating Procedures. The Indian side has proposed that Indian air marshals will remain inside the plane at all times. “They will be deployed in plainclothes,” said a senior Nepal government official.  “The Home and Foreign ministries have received feedback from the Tourism Ministry that Nepal could allow the air marshals. However, the Ministry of Home should make a call on such a big decision,” said the official. Continue reading →