India ends Nepalese arms embargo
India has decided to end its four-year self-imposed embargo on supplying small arms to Nepal and plans to provide the country with a range of assault rifles, machine guns, pistols and revolvers in addition to bomb-detection and disposal equipment.
Official sources in New Delhi said the government's rethink following the ban enforced in February 2005 after King Gyanendra sacked Nepal's democratically elected government to provide Kathmandu with military hardware such as 7.62 mm medium machine guns, 5.56 mm assault rifles and ammunition took place in December 2009.
Indian Ministry of Defence officials declined to comment but said that New Delhi was considering requests for arms from Nepal on a case by case basis.
Other than small arms Nepalese army requirements include armoured and other multipurpose military vehicles, 81 mm mortars and ammunition for 105 mm light field guns previously provided by India.
Military officers said the resumption of weapons sales to Nepal was prompted largely by the prospect of nuclear rivals, China and Pakistan making up Kathmandu's arms shortfall.
China and Pakistan have upgraded diplomatic, political and strategic links with Kathmandu in recent years, and Islamabad has reportedly offered it a line of credit to facilitate arms transfers. China's foreign minister visited Nepal recently, while Pakistan's ambassador to Kathmandu declared some weeks ago that Islamabad would be willing to provide military aid if requested.
Source: Janes Defence Weekly
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments