India’s Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth has been conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepal Army in recognition of the longstanding military ties between the two neighboring countries.
Nepalese President Ram Chandra Paudel formally conferred the honorary rank on General Seth at a ceremony held at Shital Niwas in Kathmandu on Monday (August 17).
General Seth arrived in Nepal on Sunday for a four-day official visit at the invitation of Nepal’s Army Chief, General Ashok Raj Sigdel. Strengthening bilateral military relations and expanding defence cooperation were among the key focuses of the visit.
Following the honorary rank ceremony, General Seth held talks with General Ashok Raj Sigdel. The two military chiefs discussed a range of issues of mutual interest and exchanged views on ways to further strengthen military cooperation between India and Nepal.
The tradition of conferring honorary general ranks on each other’s army chiefs dates back to 1950 and is regarded as a distinctive feature of the defence relationship between the two countries.
The longstanding practice reflects the mutual respect and close institutional ties between the Indian and Nepalese armies.
Nepal’s Vice President Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava, and senior officials from the Nepalese government and army attended the ceremony at Shital Niwas.
In a statement, the Embassy of India said General Seth’s visit reaffirmed the two countries’ commitment to strengthening defence cooperation based on mutual trust, shared values and longstanding military relations.
During his visit, General Seth also handed over military and medical equipment to the Nepal Army as part of the two countries’ defence cooperation.
Later, he planted a sapling at the Nepal Army Headquarters and inspected a Guard of Honour.
The Nepal Army said in a statement that the Indian Army chief’s visit would contribute significantly to enhancing mutual trust and cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries.
From the honorary rank ceremony and military-level talks to diplomatic engagements and the transfer of military and medical equipment, the visit highlighted the multidimensional nature of India-Nepal defence cooperation and underscored the continuity of their longstanding military friendship.
Source: Embassy of India and Nepal Army.