Hello, Warriors. The Nepalese Chief of Army Staff, General Rajendra Chhetri is on his first official visit to India. This is also his first trip abroad since assuming command of the country’s military on September 10, last year.
Chhetri is leading a nine-member delegation to India on a five-day visit which started on 1st February. The CoAS was officially invited by the Indian Army General Dalbir Singh.
As per the tradition of conferring honorary titles to each other’s Army chiefs between two nations, Indian President Pranab Mukherjee decorated Chhetri amid a programme at the President’s Office on 3rd February. Chettri’s first foreign trip since becoming CoAS of Nepal Army has, however, courted controversy as it has come at the time when the country is reeling under the unofficial blockade imposed by the southern neighbour, India.
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He also held bilateral talks during separate meetings with Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Robin K. Dhowan, Chief of Staff Committee General Bikram Singh, Chief of the Air Staff Arup Raha and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
The purpose of the visit is yet to be unveiled by the Nepalese Army headquarters.
He has received Field Artillery and Air Defence Artillery training in the early years of his service from India, Pakistan and China. He is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College, Ft Leavenworth, Kansas, US.
He is also a qualified Psychological Testing Officer from the Defense Institute of Psychological Research, New Delhi.
Chhetri also observed various Indian army units during the visit.
Nepal and India have strong military ties and India provides a lot of military equipment, hardware, stores and other logistics to the Nepalese Army.
Since 1950, Nepal and India have been awarding army chiefs of each other with the honorary rank “in recognition of mutual harmonious relationships between two armies.” The tradition of exchanging the honorary titles between chiefs the Nepal Army and the Indian Army helps to strengthen the ties between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Nepal Army’s Lieutenant General Mahat assumed responsibilities of the CoAS in Chhetri’s absence.
