Kathmandu: Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane met his Nepalese counterpart General Purna Chandra Thapa here Thursday. Gen MM Naravane and Gen Thaapa discussed measures to further bolster the existing bond of friendship and cooperation between the two armies. Gen Naravane is currently here on a three-day visit on the invitation of Thapa. His visit is largely aimed at resetting the bilateral ties that came under severe strain following a bitter border row. He met Thapa at the Chief of Army Staff’s office here.
“They exchanged views on issues of bilateral interests. They also discussed measures to further strengthen the existing bond of friendship and cooperation between the two armies,” the Nepalese Army headquarters said in a statement. Gen Naravane was also briefed about the history and current roles of the Nepali Army.
Gen Naravane, who arrived Wednesday in Kathmandu, took part in various events Thursday. After paying his tribute to the martyrs in the Army Pavilion early Thursday morning, he received a Guard of Honour in the Army Headquarters. He also planted a Pecan tree sapling in the Army Headquarter premise, keeping the tradition of earlier senior-level military visitors.
Naravane also handed over ambulances and medical equipment, including ventilators, for two field hospitals to the Nepal Army.
Thapa reciprocated by handing over 100,000 masks and an idol of Lord Buddha, a symbol of peace to Naravane. President Bidhya Devi Bhandari will confer the honorary rank of General of Nepali Army on General Naravane later in the day. He is scheduled to meet Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Friday.
India’s decision to send the Army chief to Nepal is to reset the ties between the two countries. It is being seen as part of a larger exercise by New Delhi to rejuvenate relations with Myanmar, the Maldives, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Afghanistan. This is in the wake of greater efforts by China to expand its influence in the region.
The ties between Nepal and India came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated May 8 an 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand. Nepal protested the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through its territory.
Days later, Nepal came out with the new map showing Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as its territories. After Nepal released the map, India reacted sharply, calling it a ‘unilateral act’. India cautioned Kathmandu that such ‘artificial enlargement’ of territorial claims will not be acceptable to it.