CoAS Thapa leaves for six-day visit to India

Published On: January 11, 2019 01:31 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

CoAS Thapa at TIA before departing to New Delhi on Friday morning. (Photo courtesy: Nepal Army Headquarters)

KATHMANDU, Jan 11: Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Purna Chandra Thapa embarked on a six-day official visit to India on Friday.

CoAS Thapa, who is visiting India at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Bipin Rawat, will receive the honorary chief title of the Indian Army during his visit.

Amid a special function to be held at the President's Office, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind will confer the insignia on CoAS Thapa in New Delhi on Saturday, according to Nepal Army Headquarters. It is customary between Nepal and India to award honorary titles to each other’s army chiefs.

Thapa is scheduled to visit Indian Army's South-western Command in Jaipur and the Central Command in Lucknow. Aside from attending events, Chief Thapa will meet Indian Defense Minister Nirmala Sitaraman and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval during his stay in the Indian capital.