Minister advises Nepal PM to agree to Indian request for sky marshals

They can have sky marshals on board like other countries facing terror threats, Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Singh Bhandary is believed to have advised the PM. Bhandary is also believed to have told the PM that all such arrangements will have to be on reciprocal basis and Nepal will get the same treatment if it wants to have its commandos on its aircraft flying to India.

Poor security arrangements at the international airport in Kathmandu with an Indian Airlines plane having been hijacked in December 1999 has been a matter of concern for India.

Hishila Yami,the then Civil Aviation Minister,had positively responded to Indias suggestion on having sky marshals on board. The matter was raised again following fresh security alerts that Delhi received, Home Ministry sources said.

We have not been able to take a decision as some political parties are opposing it,saying that it would amount to an impingement of Nepali territory, said an official.