Indian army chief arrives in Kathmandu

KATHMANDU: Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army, General Upendra Dwivedi, has arrived in Kathmandu on a five-day visit.

General Dwivedi landed at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu on Wednesday afternoon at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart General Ashok Raj Sigdel.

President Ram Chandra Paudel is scheduled to confer the honorary rank of the General of the Nepal Army on Dwivedi amid a special ceremony on Thursday. It is a traditional practice by the two countries to confer the honorary rank of General on each other’s army chiefs.

During his visit, General Dwivedi is scheduled to pay tributes at the Bir Memorial at Army Pavilion Tundikhel, inspect a guard of honor at Army Headquarters, and hold discussions with Chief of Army Staff Sigdel. He will also interact with students at the Command and Staff College and visit the Western Division Headquarters of the Nepal Army.

General Dwivedi is also scheduled to play courtesy calls on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Defense Minister Manbir Rai, among others.