Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth received a ceremonial Guard of Honour at the Nepali Army Headquarters in Kathmandu on August 17, 2026, as part of his three-day official visit to Nepal aimed at further strengthening defence and military relations between the two countries.
General Seth, who is visiting Nepal from August 17 to 19 at the invitation of Chief of the Nepali Army General Ashok Raj Sigdel, also laid a wreath at the Army Pavilion in Tundikhel as part of his engagements in the capital.
A key highlight of the visit was the conferment of the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army on General Dhiraj Seth by President of Nepal Ram Chandra Paudel. The honour was conferred in keeping with the unique and longstanding tradition between the Indian and Nepali Armies.
The practice of conferring the honorary rank of General on the Army chiefs of the two countries dates back to 1950 and is regarded as a symbol of the close, historic and special relationship shared by the two military establishments.
General Seth arrived in Kathmandu with a five-member delegation and was received at Tribhuvan International Airport by Nepal’s Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Pradeep Jung KC. Following his arrival, he also met Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava.
During his visit, General Seth is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with his Nepali counterpart General Ashok Raj Sigdel at the Nepali Army Headquarters. He will also receive a briefing from the Nepali Army’s Director General of Military Operations on matters of mutual interest.
The engagements are expected to provide an opportunity for both sides to review existing defence cooperation and explore avenues for further strengthening military-to-military ties. India and Nepal maintain close cooperation in areas including military training, professional exchanges and defence engagement.
The relationship between the two countries is underpinned by deep historical, social and cultural connections, often described through the enduring ‘Roti Beti Ka Rishta’. These close people-to-people links have also contributed to the distinctive relationship between the Indian Army and Nepali Army.
On August 18, General Seth will visit the Army Command and Staff Course at Shivapuri, where he will address student officers and interact with instructors and foreign student officers. He is also scheduled to engage with senior Nepali dignitaries on issues of mutual interest.
On August 19, the COAS will travel to Pokhara to attend an Ex-Servicemen Rally. During the event, he will felicitate Veer Naris and gallantry awardees and interact with Indian Army veterans residing in Nepal.
General Dhiraj Seth’s visit highlights the enduring military partnership between India and Nepal and provides an important platform for strengthening defence cooperation, professional exchanges and mutual understanding between the two Armies.
