Indian Army chief to visit Nepal in August

Kathmandu, Jun 22 (PTI) India’s Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande will travel to Nepal on an official visit in August during which he would be conferred with the title of honorary General of Nepali Army by President Bidya Devi Bhandari, according to Foreign Ministry sources here.

The date and schedule of the proposed visit by the Indian Army chief has not yet been made public. According to sources, the Indian Army chief will be conferred with the title of honorary General of Nepali Army by President Bhandari. Nepal Army sources said that though the visit is on the cards, they cannot officially confirm, unless the Foreign Ministry officially informs the Nepal Army about the trip.

General Pande took charge as the 29th Chief of the Army Staff on April 30 after incumbent Gen MM Naravane retired from service. 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’s Chief of Army Staff Prabhu Ram Sharma visited India in November last year at the invitation of his Indian counterpart. General Sharma was conferred with the honorary General of the Indian Army during the visit.