India-China dispute prevents international flights from landing at Nepal airport

Bishnu Sharma, the owner of a bright orange hotel in Lumbini, Nepal, is facing a lack of tourists despite offering stunning mountain views. The expected increase in tourist numbers has not materialized, partly due to tensions between India and China. Lumbini received close to a million visitors in 2022, leading the government to invest $76 million in building the Gautam Buddha International Airport. However, most visitors are domestic tourists, with only a small fraction coming from India. The lack of early promotion and incentives to international airlines has contributed to the failure of the travel boom. Sharma is struggling financially and is unable to repay his loan. Travel industry experts believe that regular international flights from Bhairahawa airport would boost tourist arrivals, particularly from overseas. However, Nepali officials claim that India has refused to allow big passenger planes to fly through its airspace, hindering flights to the Gautam Buddha airport. Some in Nepal speculate that India's reluctance is tied to the airport's construction by China. Additionally, the airport's location near the border and its opening to international traffic shortly before a clash between Indian and Chinese troops have further strained relations. The tension between India and China extends beyond the border dispute, with strained ties between their leaders. The Gautam Buddha airport was intended to alleviate congestion at Kathmandu Airport, Nepal's only international gateway, which is heavily overcrowded. Similarly, the newly opened Pokhara International Airport has not seen any international flights since January, despite being built with a loan from China. Experts warn that both airports require substantial international traffic to be economically viable. Nepal needs proactive diplomacy to convince countries like India to open their airspace and attract tourists from countries in the east. Although Nepal Airlines has recently started a weekly flight from Bhairahawa to Kuala Lumpur, there is optimism that a resolution with India will be reached soon. Nepal's minister for tourism and civil aviation remains positive about ongoing discussions with Indian officials and diplomats.