Army chief general Dhiraj Seth met Nepal prime minister and defence minister Balendra Shah in Kathmandu on Tuesday, with the two sides discussing bilateral issues and ways to strengthen military ties amid a period of unease in relations between the two neighbours.General Seth, who is on a four-day visit to Nepal at the invitation of Nepali Army chief general Ashok Raj Sigdel, held the meeting at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar.Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava was also present. According to sources at the Prime Minister’s secretariat, the discussions focused on matters of mutual interest and strengthening bilateral military relations.The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said General Seth called on the Prime Minister and held “warm and productive” discussions on strengthening defence cooperation between both countries. General Seth also visited the Nepali Army Command and Staff College in Shivapuri, where he shared his perspectives on professional military education and contemporary security challenges with faculty and student officers.
General Seth conferred honorary Nepali Army general rank
The visit comes as India and Nepal continue a unique military tradition dating back to 1950. Under the arrangement, the army chiefs of the two countries are conferred the honorary rank of general in each other’s armies as a symbol of their longstanding defence ties.Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army on General Seth during a ceremony in Kathmandu on Monday.General Seth had earlier held bilateral talks with General Sigdel at Nepal Army headquarters, where the two discussed matters of mutual interest.The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said the army chief’s visit “reaffirms the unique and time-tested defence relations between India and Nepal”, describing the ties as being rooted in shared values, mutual trust and enduring military-to-military relations.
Visit comes amid India-Nepal unease
Gen Seth’s visit comes against the backdrop of some strain in India-Nepal ties, particularly over the longstanding border dispute involving Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani. India maintains that the territories are part of Uttarakhand, while Nepal has claimed them as part of its territory.Shah had said in Parliament in May that Kathmandu was discussing the border issue not only with India but also with China and the UK. New Delhi subsequently rejected any role for third parties in resolving the boundary dispute.
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Despite these differences, Shah has recently signalled a push to deepen ties with New Delhi. Earlier this month, he held his first one-on-one meeting with Indian Ambassador Srivastava and stressed the importance of Nepal’s “historic relationship” with India.Shah has not yet visited either India or China since becoming prime minister. Instead, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal travelled to both New Delhi and Beijing in June.The visit by Gen. Seth also comes after Shah’s predecessor, K P Sharma Oli, made China his first foreign destination after taking office in 2024, departing from the longstanding practice of Nepalese prime ministers making India their first foreign visit.During his Nepal visit, General Seth also offered prayers at Kathmandu’s Pashupatinath Temple.
