Indian Army chief conferred honorary Nepal Army general rank

Indian Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth was conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepal Army by Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel at Sheetal Niwas in Kathmandu on Monday. The investiture ceremony was attended by Nepal Vice President Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, India’s Ambassador Naveen Srivastava, and senior officials from both armies and the government, according to the President's Secretariat.

The tradition of exchanging honorary generalships between the two armies dates back to 1950. General Seth arrived in Nepal on Sunday for a four-day official visit at the invitation of his Nepalese counterpart, General Ashok Raj Sigdel. The two army chiefs met at the Nepal Army headquarters and discussed matters of mutual interest and ways to strengthen bilateral military relations.

General Seth also handed over military and medical equipment to the Nepal Army and planted a sapling at the headquarters. The Indian Embassy said the visit reaffirms the unique and time-tested defence ties between the two countries. The Nepal Army said the visit is expected to further strengthen mutual trust and cooperation between the two armies.