General Dhiraj Seth to Visit Nepal, Receive Nepali Army’s Honorary General Rank

Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth will travel to Nepal from August 17 to 19, 2026, in a visit designed to reinforce the close defence partnership and longstanding military-to-military relationship between India and Nepal.

The three-day programme will begin on August 17 with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Army Pavilion in Tundikhel, followed by a Guard of Honour at the Nepali Army Headquarters. General Seth is also scheduled to meet the Chief of the Army Staff, Nepali Army, and receive a briefing from the Director General Military Operations on matters of mutual interest.

A major ceremonial event during the visit will be held at Rashtrapati Bhawan in Nepal, where General Seth will be conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army by President of Nepal Shri Ram Chandra Paudel. The investiture is part of the long-established tradition between the Indian and Nepali Armies of recognising senior leadership through honorary ranks.

On August 18, the Army chief will visit the Army Command and Staff Course at Shivapuri, where he will address student officers and interact with instructors as well as foreign student officers. He is also expected to meet senior dignitaries in Nepal to discuss issues of mutual interest and explore further areas of cooperation between the two sides.

The visit will conclude on August 19 with General Seth attending an Ex-Servicemen Rally in Pokhara. There, he will felicitate Veer Naris and Gallantry Awardees and meet Indian Army veterans living in Nepal before returning to India.

India and Nepal share deep historical, social and cultural ties, often described through the enduring “Roti Beti Ka Rishta”. The links between Janakpur and Ayodhya, as well as Lumbini and Bodh Gaya, are frequently cited as examples of the two countries’ civilisational and people-to-people connections.

Beyond these cultural bonds, the relationship is also shaped by shared democratic values and common interests in preserving regional peace and stability. The Indian Army and Nepali Army have maintained close institutional and professional ties over the years, including cooperation in training, exchanges and other areas of mutual interest.

General Seth’s visit is expected to open the door to deeper military engagement and identify fresh avenues of cooperation between the two armies. It also highlights the distinctive nature of the India-Nepal defence relationship, including the tradition of honorary military honours, while reaffirming the importance of continued dialogue for bilateral defence cooperation and regional security.