First lot after freeze: Bullet-proof jackets and jeeps for Nepal

The UPA Government had assured King Gyanendra that it would stick to its commitments on military supplies during the Asian-African conference at Bandung in April. The approval was pending with National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan since then.

It is learnt that senior officials of the Royal Nepalese Army have already conveyed their appreciation on the resumption of supplies through the military channel.

The supplies included Mahindra jeeps, bullet-proof jackets, concertina security wires, bunker protection devices and mine-proof vehicles.

New Delhi has, however, held back hand-held thermal imagers, used in counter-insurgency operations, and night-vision devices. In the case of thermal imagers, New Delhi feels Kathmandu should sign a protocol on intellectual property rights, ruling out the possibility of the force multipliers falling into the hands of other countries.

South Block is tightlipped about the supplies but, significantly, the decision came after the commission examining the alleged corruption case against former Nepalese PM Sher Bahadur Deuba found no evidence against him. Though the King still exercises strict control over the government, opposition leaders like Girija Prasad Koirala and Surya Bahadhur Thapa have been allowed to travel to India and discuss the political situation with New Delhi.

Though South Block continues to veto any lethal supplies, like INSAS 5.56-mm rifle or ammunition, it is actively supporting efforts to bring the Nepal Maoists into the political mainstream.

The visiting opposition leaders had said quite vociferously that they were against India resuming arms supplies to Kathmandu but New Delhi knows it cannot allow positions to harden with Nepal, a special neighbour.

The Indian assessment of the Nepalese situation is that both RNA and the Left-wing extremists are operationally in a stalemate and it is for the opposition parties to bring the Maoists on board through a political dialogue.