Kathmandu. Army chief Gen MM Naravane on Wednesday reached Nepal for a three-day visit that is majorly aimed at improving New Delhi-Kathmandu ties that have hit a low in recent months over a number of issues.
Naravane was accompanied by his wife Veena Naravane, who heads the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) of the Indian Army. His visit is taking place at the invitation of Nepal Army chief Gen Purna Chandra Thapa.
During the visit, Naravane will be conferred with the honorary rank of General of Nepal Army by President Bidya Devi Bhandari in a special ceremony organised at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The army chief will also visit the headquarters of the Nepalese Army and address the young military officers at Nepali Army’s Staff College.
He will also attend a banquet organised in his honour by Nepalese Army chief and meet President Bhandari on Thursday. Naravane will also meet PM KP Sharma Oli on Friday.
Ahead of the visit, the Indian army chief said he was eagerly looking forward to the trip and added that it will go a long way in boosting the “bonds of friendship” between the armies of the two nations.
The relations between the two countries severed after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated an 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in the Indian state of Uttarakhand on May 8.
Nepal opposed the inauguration of the road arguing that it passed through its territory. A few days later, Nepal made changes in its constitution to update its new map showing Indian territories of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as its own. – Wion
