Indian army chief wraps up his Nepal visit

Published On: February 14, 2018 06:22 PM NPT By: Republica  | @RepublicaNepal


KATHMANDU, Feb 14: Visiting Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat wrapped up his three-day official visit to Nepal on Wednesday. 

General Rawat arrived in Kathmandu on Monday at the official invitation of his Nepalese counterpart Rajendra Chhetri to participate in the Army Day function held on Tuesday as a special guest. The Army Day function and parade this year coincided with the 250th anniversary of the unification of modern Nepal.

During his stay in Nepal, Rawat held a meeting with Chhetri and paid a separate courtesy call on President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. 
According to Spokesperson of Nepal Army Gokul Bhandari, the meeting between the chiefs of two armies held at the Nepal Army Headquarter in Bhadrakali on Tuesday dwelled on issues related to mutual interests and ways to further strengthening the relations between the two armies subsisting for decades. 

Nepal and India share uniquely close military relations as army chiefs of both the countries are conferred honorary chiefs of each other's army. Although there is a tradition of inviting chiefs of Nepalese and Indian Army during special occasion since long, this is the first time Indian Army chief participated in the Army Day functions of Nepal Army, according to Spokesperson Bhandari. 

Before wrapping up his visit to Nepal on Wednesday, Rawat called on President Bhandari at her office at Sheetal Niwas. Officials said Rawat held a discussion on further promoting the relations between the two armies with President Bhandari, who is also commander in chief of Nepal Army.

In the meeting held with Prime Minister Deuba, Rawat held a discussion on various issues related to mutual interests and promoting bilateral relations between Nepal and India. General Rawat, who headed Gurkha Regiment comprising mainly of soldiers of Nepali origin in the past, had a conversation with Prime Minister Deuba in Nepali language, according to the prime minister's Foreign Relations Adviser Dinesh Bhattarai.

During his stay in Nepal, Rawat also visited Pashupati Temple in Kathmandu and Bindhbasini Temple in Pokhara in the course of visiting Indian Army Pension Camp located in the tourist city. His plan to visit famous Muktinath Temple and Nepal's Army Mountain Warfare Training Center in Mustang, however, could not succeed due to bad weather condition. 
 


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