KATHMANDU, Nov 3: Indian Army Chief Manoj Mukunda Naravane, who is arriving in Kathmandu on Wednesday on a three-day visit, has said that his visit will go a long way in strengthening the bonds and friendship between the two armies.

In his short video message made public by India's ANI news agency on Tuesday, Indian Army Chief Naravane said he is delighted to be visiting on the kind invitation and to meet his counterpart General Purna Chandra Thapa. "I am also grateful for the opportunity to be calling on the Prime Minister of Nepal. It is going to be a great honor for me to be conferred with the honorary rank of 'General of the Nepali Army' by President of Nepal," he has said.

The remarks of General Naravane comes in the wake of a section of politicians demanding the abolition of the tradition to confer each other's army chief with the honorary rank of their army. Naravane had earlier courted controversy in Nepal after he made remarks that Nepal had raised the issue of Kalapani and Lipu Lekh at the behest of China, although without referring to the name of China.

 
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