Current Affairs

Visiting Chief of Indian Army, General Manoj Pande, has handed over non-lethal military equipment worth Rs 223 million to Nepali Army (NA). 

The Indian Army Chief arrived here on Sunday on a five-day visit at the official invitation of Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS) Prabhu Ram Sharma. 

The assistance includes such non-lethal military items as mine-protected vehicles, medical equipment, parts of weapons and four horses.

The assistance followed the decision by the Nepal-India Bilateral Consultative Group comprising top security officials from the two countries. 

NA Spokesperson Brigadier General Narayan Silwal said the horses received could be used for advanced breeding and various other military purposes. 

Later in the day, in the presence of top officials, President Bidya Devi Bhandari conferred on Gen Pande the insignia of honorary title of the General of the Nepali Army amid a special ceremony at the Rastrapati Bhawan. 

The Head of the State is the Supreme Commander of the Nepali Army.

Nepal and India observe the custom of exchanging the insignia of the honorary title of General of the Army since 1951. The then Indian Army's Field Marshal KM Cariappa was the first official from the organisation to receive the honorary title of the NA General.

 Also Read: Indian Army Chief gets red carpet welcome