SOURCE: ANI
Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Narwane reached Nepal on Wednesday on a three-day tour. On this tour, Army Chief General Narwane will be conferred with the title of General of Nepal Army. On the second day of this visit, the Army Chief will also meet Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli. The main objective of Narwane’s visit is to reconcile relations between the two countries in the backdrop of tensions arising out of the border dispute. General Narwane is traveling to Nepal at the invitation of General Purna Chandra Thapa, Army Chief of Nepal.
Indian Embassy spokesman Naveen Kumar said the visit of General Narwane would further deepen the long-standing and traditional bond of friendship between the armies of the two countries. Narwane will present an ambulance and medical equipment for a hospital, the hospital will be operated by the Nepali Army. Sources in the Army of Nepal said that the Indian Army Chief will pay tribute at the Martyr’s Memorial on Thursday morning at the Army Pavilion.
Officials said that the army chief is scheduled to meet Nepal’s President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli during this visit and interact with several other civil and military leaders. General Narwane said, “I am excited about the invitation from Nepal to visit Nepal and meet my counterpart Nepal’s Army Chief General Purna Chandra Thapa. I am confident that this visit will play an important role in further strengthening the bond of friendship between the armies of the two countries. ”
Nepali will meet PM Oli
Army Chief Narwane will also meet Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli on the second day of the three-day tour. The meeting between the two will take place on 5 November. The Army Chief said that he is also grateful for the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Oli. India’s decision to send the army chief to Nepal is being considered by New Delhi as part of a wider exercise to inject new energy into relations with Myanmar, Maldives, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Afghanistan. This is being done in the wake of efforts by China to increase its dominance in the region.
Nepal had protested after Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the 80-km-long strategic road connecting the Lipulekh Pass from Uttarakhand’s Dharchula on May 8, with relations straining between the two countries.
