India, Kyrgyzstan discuss resumption of flight services

BISHKEK: India today said it will give every possible assistance to Kyrgyzstan for resumption of direct flights between the two countries.


External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid told reporters here on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting that he had fruitful talks in this regard with leaders of Kyrgyzstan during which they also expressed the desire that India must be more extensively present in the Central Asian country.

"They expressed the desire that India must be more extensively present in Kyrgyzstan through business, industry, participation in educational institutions in various other institutions of public importance," Khurshid said.

"We have made a considerable beginning but we are willing to expand further their desire that there should be direct flights between India and Kyrgyzstan. They have taken the first step towards Kyrgyz Airlines flying to India.

"For a few weeks they ran some flights and I think they want to begin flying again. We welcome that and we will give whatever assistance as possible," Khurshid said.

Flights of Kyrgyzstan Airways were operational from 2003-2006. This year flights of Kyrgyzstan Air Company operated only for a month from June 18. Flights were suspended due to low passenger load and marketing issues.

He also said that the Kyrgyz leaders also sought India's greater participation in their medical services.

"We have had a visit from Medanta, the head of the Medanta Medicity, Dr (Naresh) Trehan has been here. We can do such handholding as is necessary in the small-scale industry. We are willing to work towards getting something more," he said.

He said Kyrgyzstan was also very supportive of India for a membership in the six-member SCO, which has China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as its members.

"We thank them for that but it has to be a collective decision within the organisation. So, we see the future of Kyrgyz-India relationship as a very important one. We will work towards fulfilling their expectations of a more wholesome and more expanded relationship between governments and people of our two countries."