India assures help to Nepal

In a quiet move, Chief of Army Staff Gen JJ Singh today talked to Chief of Royal Nepal Army (RNA) Gen Pyar Jung Thapa and assured him all possible help as soon as the situation in Kathmandu stabilises.

Shorn of diplomatese, this means supply of arms to the beleaguered Army will be resumed soon so that it can restart operations against the Maoists.

Gen Singh has been in touch with Thapa for the last several days. Thapa is reported to have told him today that now that Parliament is being restored and a government is likely to be in place, "We will be back at work", a euphemism for resuming operations against the Maoists.

The Maoists have refused to join the government and have warned those who do.

When soldiers join the RNA, they take a vow to put the "safety of the country and the king before all things".

Defence supplies to Nepal were suspended when the king assumed total power on February 1, 2005.