¨ Indian Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth was conferred the Honorary Rank of General of the Nepali Army on 17 August 2026 at Sheetal Niwas in Kathmandu.
¨ The honorary rank was conferred by Nepalese President Ram Chandra Paudel.
¨ The ceremony was part of the long-standing reciprocal military tradition between India and Nepal.
¨ India and Nepal have followed the practice of conferring the honorary rank of General on each other’s Army Chiefs since 1950.
¨ The tradition reflects the close military and defence relationship between the two countries.
¨ India-Nepal military ties include training exchanges, ceremonial visits and defence cooperation.
¨ General Dhiraj Seth inspected a Guard of Honour at the Nepali Army Headquarters.
¨ He also laid a wreath at the Army Pavilion in Tundikhel, Kathmandu.
¨ General Seth held bilateral talks with Chief of Army Staff General Ashok Raj Sigdel.
¨ The discussions focused on mutual strategic interests and military cooperation.
¨ The ceremony was attended by Nepal’s Vice President Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, and India’s Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava.
¨ General Seth also handed over military and medical equipment to the Nepal Army as part of India’s defence support.
¨ India and Nepal share an open border of approximately 1,751 kilometres.
¨ Defence cooperation between the two countries includes military training, equipment support and high-level military exchanges.
¨ The Indian Army and Nepali Army also conduct joint and coordinated activities in areas such as disaster response and professional military education.
¨ Exam Fact: The reciprocal honorary General rank tradition between India and Nepal began in 1950.
¨ Sheetal Niwas is the official residence of the President of Nepal in Kathmandu.
¨ Tundikhel is a historic open ground in central Kathmandu used for military and public ceremonies.
¨ The Nepali Army Headquarters is located in Kathmandu.