Article Posted on : - Dec 21, 2010

Indian Army chief General V K Singh.

KATHMANDU (PTI): Indian Army chief General V K Singh held talks with his Nepalese counterpart General Chhatra Man Singh Gurung, as he arrived here Monday on a four-day visit during which he will be decorated with the honorary rank of General of the Nepal Army.

During the meeting, the two top commanders discussed various issues, including matters relating to expanding bilateral relations between the two armies, according to Army headquarters sources.

The Indian General was also briefed about the works carried out by the Nepal Army in terms of its participation in development activities, conservation of natural resources, UN peacekeeping missions and combating terrorist activities along Nepal-India borders, a media report said.

Signifying the close relationship between the two militaries, General Singh will be conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepal Army on December 22 by President Ram Baran Yadav, who is the Supreme Commander of the country's armed forces.

General Singh will call on the President, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Defence Minister Vidya Bhandari during his stay in the capital.

He will visit Pokhara, a tourist hub in western Nepal, tomorrow to inspect pension camps and meet Indian Army veterans.

"This is a routine visit of the Indian Army chief to Nepal," an Indian embassy spokesperson earlier said.

Efforts to deepen bilateral military cooperation will feature during his talks with his Nepalese counterpart, according to sources.

This is the second visit of an incumbent Indian Army Chief in a year to receive the honorary title. General Deepak Kapoor, the then Indian Army chief was also decorated with the honorary rank of General of the Nepal Army in January.

Upholding a six-decade old tradition, General Gurung was conferred with the honorary title of Chief of the Indian Army by President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi on December 14, 2009.

The tradition of exchange of high-level goodwill visits between the two armies began in 1950 with the visit of former Indian Army Chief Gen. K M Cariappa.