Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi to visit Nepal next week

New Delhi: Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi will embark on a four-day visit to Nepal next week to explore ways to further expand the already close defence and strategic relationship between the two countries.

General Dwivedi is set to be conferred the honorary rank of "General of the Nepal Army" by Nepalese President Ramchandra Paudel during his visit in continuation of an age-old tradition that first started in 1950, reflecting the strong ties between the two militaries.

The Army Chief's visit to Nepal next week will mark another significant chapter in the evolving military diplomacy between the two nations, sources in the defence establishment said.

It is expected to strengthen the defence ties paving the way for continued collaboration on multiple fronts, including military exercises, training programmes and strategic discussions on regional security concerns, they said.

General Dwivedi is set to hold extensive talks with his Nepalese counterpart General Ashok Raj Sigdel besides meeting the top political leadership of the Himalayan nation.

Nepal is important for India in the context of its overall strategic interests in the region and the leaders of the two countries have often noted the age-old "Roti Beti" relationship.

Land-locked Nepal relies heavily on India for the transportation of goods and services. Nepal's access to the sea is through India and it imports a predominant proportion of its requirements from and through India.

India and Nepal share a special relationship, reinforced by cultural, historical and geographical factors. This bond has evolved into a robust military partnership that plays a key role in enhancing regional security, the sources said.

General Dwivedi is also likely to visit the Shri Muktinath temple in Mustang region of Nepal.

It is learnt that India's first Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat also wanted to visit the temple. In his memory, a Bell named 'Bipin Bell' was installed in the temple in February 2023.

Nepal has continued its close ties with India, with regular exchanges of military training, visits and defence modernisation.

India and Nepal are critical partners in enhancing mutual military capabilities, particularly through training programmes.

General Dwivedi's visit is expected to focus on the ongoing defence modernisation in both militaries, through various initiatives.

Both countries offer courses to military personnel in reputed military institutions. This collaboration has seen over 300 Nepali Army personnel trained in India this year alone, in specialised fields.

Similarly, the India Army personnel also undergo courses in Nepal.

A key pillar of India-Nepal military cooperation is the annual 'Surya Kiran' joint military exercise, which enhances interoperability between the two armed forces.

This exercise, which focuses on counterterrorism, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, will see its 18th edition in December in Nepal, the sources said.

The scope and complexity of this exercise are set to be expanded, providing an opportunity to further improve the operational synergy between the two armies, they said.

India has been supporting Nepal in its military modernisation by supplying various forms of military hardware, including small arms, vehicles and advanced training simulators.

Through the Nepal-India bilateral consultative group on security issues, the two countries have held 15 meetings to discuss defence cooperation and several equipment needs have been met under this forum, the sources said.

General Dwivedi's visit will provide an opportunity to further enhance these engagements, including discussions on improving disaster response mechanisms and expanding regional security cooperation, they said.

The large population of Indian ex-servicemen in Nepal also plays an important role in strengthening the ties between the two countries.