Article Posted on : - Nov 14, 2014

KATHMANDU (PTI): Indian Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag was on Thursday conferred the title of honorary rank of General of Nepal Army by President Ram Baran Yadav.

Yadav also felicitated Gen Singh with the insignia of the Nepal Army in the presence of Vice President Parmananda Jha and senior Nepal Army officers at a function held in the Rastrapati Bhawan, Sheetal Niwas here.

Nepal and India have an old tradition of conferring the title of the chief of the army staff by respective heads of the state.

Earlier on Thursday, Singh, who is heading a six-member delegation, called on Prime Minister Sushil Koirala at his office at Singhdurbar.

They discussed Nepal-India military cooperation and matters of mutual interest, Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs adviser Dinesh Bhattarai said.

Singh, who arrived here on wednesday on a four-day official visit, met with his Nepalese counterpart Gen Gaurav Shumsher Rana and discussed ways to step up bilateral defence ties.

Singh praised the contributions made by Gorkha soldiers of Nepal in the Indian military service and assured that the government is committed to provide welfare incentives to the former Gorkha army in par with the ex-army personnel of India in view of their service in the Indian security.

"We are ready to provide medical facilities to hundreds of ex-servicemen residing in Nepal," Singh said.