Tuesday, April 26 2005 09:12 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: Nepal yesterday (Apr 25, 2005) welcomed India's reported decision to resume military aid to the Himalayan Kingdom to fight Maoist rebels.

"If the news report about India's resumption of military aid to Nepal is true, we welcome it," Royal Nepalese Army spokesman Brig Gen Deepak Gurung told sources.

Gurung, however, said that the decision has not yet been communicated through official channel.

India had halted military aid to Nepal in the wake of King Gyanendra's power grab on February 1, when he sacked multiparty Government, imposed emergency rule and suspended fundamental rights and press freedom.

However, after the King met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh on Saturday (Apr 23, 2005) on the sidelines of the Asia Africa Conference in Jakarta, India indicated it would resume military aid to Nepal.

Official sources in New Delhi yesterday said the decision to resume the supplies was taken after Gyanendra assured the Prime Minister that he would gradually lift the emergency in the country and work towards establishing democratic process.

Gyanendra has said the Prime Minister, during their meeting, had assured him that the military aid would be resumed. Singh also gave hints in this direction at a subsequent press conference in Jakarta when he said he would look into Nepal's demand from a "proper perspective".

During their meeting, the Monarch explained to the Prime Minister that he had been "compelled" to seize power.