Article Posted on : - Nov 21, 2024

Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi. A PTI photo

KATHMANDU (PTI): Indian Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi arrived here on Wednesday on an official visit to Nepal during which he will be conferred the honorary rank of "General of the Nepal Army" in continuation of an age-old tradition that first started in 1950, reflecting the strong ties between the two militaries.

"To honour the singular tradition of conferment of honorary General rank of Nepali Army, COAS, IA Gen Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM arrived at Kathmandu for a five-day visit," the Embassy of India in Kathmandu said in a post on X.

Gen Dwivedi, who is leading a five-member delegation, was warmly received by Maj Gen Madhukar Singh Karki on behalf of Nepal Army chief Gen Ashok Raj Sigdel upon his arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

Later, Gen Dwivedi interacted with the Ambassador of India to Nepal and discussed issues related to the bilateral relationship between the two countries.

He is expected to hold extensive talks with Gen Sigdel and will call on President Ramchandra Paudel, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and Defence Minister Manbir Rai.

President Paudel will confer Gen. Dwivedi with the rank of Honorary General of the Nepal Army during a special ceremony at the Rastrapati Bhawan, Sheetal Niwas, today, according to a press release issued by the Nepal Army.

"The Nepal Army believes that exchange of such high-level visits contributes to the continuation of the long-standing traditions that help to strengthen the relations between the two armies,” it added.

There has been a long tradition of exchange of visits by the army chiefs of Nepal and India and to confer the title of honorary General to both the army chiefs.

Nepal shares a border of over 1,850 km with five Indian states - Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Gen Dwivedi is accompanied by his spouse Sunita Dwivedi, chairperson of the Army Wives Welfare Association of the Indian Army.