KATHMANDU, Aug 17: Indian Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth was on Monday conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepal Army by President Ramchandra Paudel at a ceremony held at Sheetal Niwas in Kathmandu.
General Seth arrived in Nepal on Sunday for a four-day official visit at the invitation of Nepal Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel.
Nepal Vice President Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava and senior officials from the Nepal government and Army attended the investiture ceremony.
The conferral of the honorary rank is part of a longstanding tradition between India and Nepal dating back to 1950, under which the two countries confer the honorary rank of General on each other’s Army chiefs.
Following the ceremony, General Seth met his Nepalese counterpart General Sigdel at the Nepal Army headquarters. The two military chiefs discussed matters of mutual interest and ways to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation.
The Indian Embassy said the visit reaffirmed the “unique and time-tested” defence ties between India and Nepal, based on mutual trust, shared values and enduring army-to-army relations.
General Seth also met Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava at the Indian Embassy and discussed ways to further strengthen the comprehensive relationship between New Delhi and Kathmandu.
During the visit, the Army chief handed over military and medical equipment to the Nepal Army. He also planted a sapling at the Nepal Army headquarters and received a guard of honour.
The Nepal Army said General Seth’s visit was expected to further strengthen mutual trust and cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries.
