Face of Nation : PM Narendra Modi lands in Bishkek Thursday noon for the first multilateral visit in his second term as Prime Minister. He will attend a couple of bilateral meetings, including with Chinese President Xi Jinping, before the inaugural banquet. A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan land in the Kyrgyz Republic’s capital, it’s cloudy in Bishkek and five Indian medical students are posing for photos in front of an imposing Soviet-era building that houses the state history museum at Ala-Too Square in the heart of the city.
To begin with, Sharma and his friends want Modi and Khan to sort out a pressing issue. Many of the 9,000 Indian students in this country are unable to afford flight tickets to go home ever since Pakistan closed its airspace in February, following the Balakot air strikes. “Many are suffering since the flights have to avoid Pakistan’s airspace and take longer routes, which means much higher fares,” says Sharma, as his friends nod their heads.
On Wednesday, the flight issue was under the spotlight in India, too, with the government deciding that the Prime Minister’s flight for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit starting Friday in Bishkek will not fly over Pakistan airspace. Instead, the flight will go via Oman. “The Government of India had explored two options for the route to be taken by the VVIP aircraft to Bishkek. A decision has now been taken that the VVIP aircraft will fly via Oman, Iran and Central Asian countries on the way to Bishkek,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. Sources said a decision on the VVIP route is usually based on a number of considerations, including “security and efficiency”.
Pakistan had earlier responded to an Indian request by conveying its decision to give flight clearance for the PM’s flight. Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal tweeted: “India requested 2 overflight clearances for Indian PM & EAM. After requisite processing, permission was granted earlier today. It is upto India what route it decides to use… Pakistan also granted flight clearance to earlier Indian request for EAM travel to Bishkek 21-22 May 2019.”
