General Dhiraj Seth Conferred Nepali Army’s Honorary General Rank in Kathmandu
Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth began a three-day official visit to Nepal on August 17, 2026, with a ceremonial Guard of Honour at the Nepali Army Headquarters in Kathmandu, setting the tone for a trip focused on reinforcing defence and military ties between the two neighbours.
General Seth is in Nepal from August 17 to 19 at the invitation of Chief of the Nepali Army General Ashok Raj Sigdel. Soon after arriving in the capital, he also laid a wreath at the Army Pavilion in Tundikhel, one of the key ceremonial stops during his engagements in Kathmandu.
A major highlight of the visit came when Nepal President Ram Chandra Paudel conferred on him the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army. The distinction is part of a long-established tradition between the Indian and Nepali Armies and reflects the special military relationship the two sides have maintained for decades.
The practice of awarding the honorary rank of General to the army chiefs of both countries dates back to 1950. It is widely viewed as a symbol of the close, historic and special relationship shared by the two military establishments.
General Seth reached Kathmandu with a five-member delegation and was received at Tribhuvan International Airport by Nepal’s Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Pradeep Jung KC. After landing, he also met Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava.
His programme in Kathmandu includes bilateral discussions with General Sigdel at the Nepali Army Headquarters. He is also due to receive a briefing from the Nepali Army’s Director General of Military Operations on matters of mutual interest, giving both sides an opportunity to review ongoing defence cooperation.
The visit is expected to help both armies assess existing areas of collaboration and identify new avenues for closer military-to-military engagement. India and Nepal already work together in fields such as military training, professional exchanges and defence interaction.
The two countries’ defence relationship is shaped not only by official cooperation but also by deep historical, social and cultural ties. These links are often described through the enduring phrase “Roti Beti Ka Rishta”, which continues to inform the distinctive bond between the Indian and Nepali Armies.
On August 18, General Seth is scheduled to visit the Army Command and Staff Course at Shivapuri, where he will address student officers and interact with instructors and foreign student officers. He is also set to meet senior Nepali dignitaries on issues of mutual interest.
On August 19, the Army chief will travel to Pokhara to attend an Ex-Servicemen Rally. During the event, he will felicitate Veer Naris and gallantry awardees and interact with Indian Army veterans living in Nepal.
General Seth’s three-day visit comes as another expression of the longstanding military partnership between India and Nepal, with both sides using the occasion to deepen defence cooperation, professional exchanges and mutual understanding.
