First Direct Flight from Pokhara International Airport to India Takes Off
For the first time, a direct flight from Pokhara International Airport to India has been operated, transporting a critically ill Indian citizen via a medical charter. Coordinated by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Union Agriculture Minister of Madhya Pradesh, India, and the patient’s family, a Shri Airlines aircraft departed for Bhopal. This marks the first time flight permission was granted from Pokhara to India specifically for patient evacuation and is expected to facilitate further flights in the future. (5 Jestha, Pokhara)
Gopal Shambhu Dayal Srivastava, a patient from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, was flown to India under a medical charter after developing heart and lung complications during a visit to Muktinath. Upon returning from the pilgrimage last Sunday, he was admitted to Charak Memorial Hospital in Pokhara. According to hospital managing director Kapil Pokhrel, a medical team led by Dr. Raj Basnet and Saroj Aryal accompanied the Shri Airlines plane that departed for Bhopal at 3:09 PM.
The aircraft is scheduled to land at Raja Bhoj Airport in India. The charter flight was arranged through high-level coordination involving Madhya Pradesh’s former Chief Minister and current Union Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and the patient’s family. Director Pokhrel shared that because Srivastava is closely connected to Minister Chouhan, special authorization for this flight was secured.
Chouhan currently serves as India’s Agriculture Minister in the federal cabinet following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Jagannath Niraula, head of Pokhara International Airport, noted that this is the first direct flight from Pokhara to India. Since its inauguration on 17 Poush 2079, the airport has previously operated charter flights to countries such as China and Bhutan. Although discussions with India on direct flights from Pokhara have taken place since before the airport’s completion, India had not granted permission until now.
Despite plans to prioritize flights from Pokhara during high-level visits by India’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, India had maintained a non-positive stance. The airport administration views this inaugural flight to India—conducted to evacuate a patient—as a meaningful development. Chief Niraula expressed optimism that opening this route, even for medical reasons, could ease future bilateral coordination.
When the decision to construct Pokhara International Airport was made in 2072 BS and the foundation stone laid later, the local community was highly enthusiastic. However, geopolitical tensions and lack of effective diplomatic initiatives have prevented regular international flights for a long period. Some analysts suggest India’s reluctance to approve flights is due to the airport’s construction being financed by Chinese loans. The airport agreement was signed in 2014 between Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority and China CAMC Engineering, followed by a $216 million loan agreement with China Exim Bank in 2016 for a turnkey project led by CAMC.
Though the airport, estimated to have cost NPR 2.2 billion, is currently mired in corruption allegations and multiple lawsuits, this flight marks a breakthrough. Due to both corruption and geopolitical factors, regular flights have not commenced; however, this first charter flight transporting an Indian patient indicates a possible opening for future operations.