Kathmandu, 16 August (H.S.): Indian Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth will begin a five-day visit to Nepal on Sunday. He is scheduled to arrive in the capital Kathmandu from New Delhi at around 4 p.m. on a special Indian Army aircraft.

General Seth will be the most senior Indian military officer to visit Nepal since Prime Minister Balendra Shah assumed office, making his visit particularly significant. During his stay, he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Balendra Shah, who also holds the defence portfolio, as well as Chief of the Nepali Army General Ashok Raj Sigdel and other senior officials.

General Seth, who assumed charge as Chief of the Indian Army on June 30, 2026, will be conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army by President Ram Chandra Paudel at a special ceremony at Sheetal Niwas on Monday.

The tradition of conferring honorary military titles on the army chiefs of India and Nepal is nearly seven decades old and symbolises the close and longstanding defence ties between the two countries.

According to the Nepali Army headquarters, known as Jangi Adda, the tradition dates back to 1950 and has continued ever since.

Nepali Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel has also been conferred the honorary rank of General of the Indian Army. President Droupadi Murmu bestowed the honorary title on Sigdel at a special ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi in 2024.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar