- Monday, May 20, 2024
By: Radhakrishna NS
A day ahead of his three-day crucial trip to Nepal, Chief of Army Staff Gen M M Naravane on Tuesday said he was eagerly looking forward to the visit and exuded confidence that it will go a long way in strengthening the “bonds of friendship” between the armies of the two countries.
Gen Naravane’s visit to Nepal from November 4-6 is largely aimed at resetting bilateral ties that came under severe strain following a bitter border row between the two countries.
The Chief of Army Staff is scheduled to call on President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, besides holding talks with several other civilian and military leaders during the visit, officials said.
“I am delighted to be visiting Nepal on their kind invitation and to meet my counterpart Gen Purna Chandra Thapa, Chief of the Army Staff of the Nepali Army. I am sure this visit will go a long way in strengthening the bonds of friendship that the two armies cherish,” Gen Naravane said.
The Chief of Army Staff said he was also grateful for the opportunity to call on Prime Minister Oli. Gen Naravane’s engagements in Nepal include a visit to the headquarters of the Nepalese Army, an address to the young military officers at Nepali Army’s Staff College and attending a banquet to be hosted in his honour by Chief of Nepalese Army Gen Purna Chandra Thapa, they said.
In continuation of an age-old tradition that first started in 1950, Gen Naravane will be conferred the honorary rank of ‘General of the Nepal Army’ by the Nepalese President on Thursday. India also confers the honorary rank of ‘General of Indian Army’ to the Nepal Army Chief.
“It is going to be a great honour for me to be conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army by the Hon’ble President of Nepal. I am looking forward eagerly to this visit,” Gen Naravane said. Officials said Gen Naravane will call on President Bhandari at the presidential palace following the ceremony. He is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Oli on Friday.
His meeting with Prime Minister Oli is seen as important as it could lead to the resetting of ties leaving behind the map row. Gen Naravane is also scheduled to hold extensive talks with Gen Thapa on a range of key issues such as ways to enhance military-to-military cooperation and boost the management of the nearly 1,800 km-long border between the two countries, they said.
It will be the first high-level visit from India to Kathmandu since ties between the two neighbours came under strain after the Himalayan nation came up with a new political map in May claiming several areas in Uttarakhand to be part of its territory.
